Parallel Hearts
by severelybabykryptonite
Summary: Rick and Lori Grimes find shelter at a camp outside of Atlanta where he develops a fast friendship with Michonne who is in the camp with her boyfriend, Mike.
1. Chapter 1

Parallel Hearts Chapter 1

 **A/N: A request from fellow writer and Richonner sleepywitchysamurai. Hope you enjoy it.**

Rick and Lori Grimes were trekking quietly along on Georgia soil, looking over their shoulders and watching for any threats. They had been walking for almost three days, exposed to the elements, running out of food, running out of water. Both were exhausted but kept moving, trying to make their way to Atlanta. They were told they'd be safe at the CDC in Atlanta, they could flourish there, and maybe, just maybe there might be a cure for whatever plague had spread across the state.

They climb up a steep hill only to realize they are on a cliff. Looking down, they can hardly believe their eyes. There is a camp, an actual camp fenced in with tents pitched from the front of the fence line to the very back.

Lori looks at her husband, feeling relief and excitement at the prospect of finding shelter. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

Rick gives a smile, the first he has given in days. "I'm seeing it. Let's check it out."

They double back and slowly make their way down to the camp. Before they can come within 10 feet of the gate, guns are drawn on them and they are told to put their hands up. Rick and Lori do exactly as they're told, trying to remain immobile even when two of the men walk toward them and relieve them of their backpacks and weapons.

Once a search is completed, another gentleman, much older and stockier, approaches them. "Can we help y'all?"

"We sure hope so. I'm Rick Grimes and this is my wife, Lori. We've been walking for days now, just trying to survive. We saw the camp from that hill over there." Rick points in the direction of the hill cautiously. "We need food, water….shelter. Just tell us what we have to do and we'll do it."

"I'm Josiah and we've been holding up pretty well here. We've got what you're looking for, but know this. Everybody has to contribute and pull their weight. If you can't fight, you're not gonna make it. Do we understand each other?"

Rick and Lori nod. After several more minutes of answering questions, their backpacks were searched and returned along with their weapons. Josiah leads them inside the gates and hands them off to his wife, Aileen.

Much later, Rick and Lori sigh with contentment as they look around at their surroundings, having been assigned their own tent, complete with two cots and linens folded neatly at the foot of each one. He takes her into his arms and kisses her softly.

"Thank goodness we came upon this camp. I don't know if I would've made it another day out there," Lori admits.

"You would've made it, but I am glad we have an actual place to rest. I might really sleep tonight," Rick says with a smile. "We still have to be cautious though. Remember that."

"I won't forget, but Josiah and Aileen said this place was set up by the military. Do you think that means they'll be back?"

"I don't know. Some of these guys were part of that unit, but nobody's in military gear, so maybe things are a lot worse than I thought." He shakes his head, not wanting to overthink their situation. "Let's just enjoy tonight and we'll ask all the questions we want tomorrow. Will you be ok while I take a look around? Aileen said she'd give us a tour tomorrow, but I'm just curious," Rick tells her.

"I'm fine. Go on and satisfy your curiosity. Just don't be out long."

He kisses her one last time and makes his way out of the tent.

The camp is pretty quiet and dimly lit as he knows they've been instructed to keep it that way. Noise seems to draw the attention of the undead as well as movement and light. He makes his way slowly down the huge divide in between the tents, dirt and splotches of grass imitating a walkway. The tents are aligned face to face, the rear of each close to the chain link fence surrounding the camp.

He saw enough at the entrance of the camp, but is curious as to what is located at the rear. He is impressed to find a sectioned off area specifically for showering he assumes as he takes in the drying towels on clothes lines and the telltale noise of running water in one of the covered stalls. He smiles to himself, knowing that Lori will be glad to discover this.

He jumps when he hears a noise that sounds like something rattling the fence. He stops his thought process and focuses on the fence to be sure he heard what he thinks he heard. He notates that the water shuts off and the noise sounds again immediately after. His hands automatically go to his hip to retrieve his gun. He flinches in irritation as he remembers he left his gun holstered in his gun belt in the tent and he couldn't very well fire the weapon within the camp without drawing unwanted attention.

Before he can even think of what to do, a flurry of white races toward him, colliding with him resulting in his back hitting the ground and the flurry of white landing on top of him. His hands trapped between the two bodies, he instinctively pushes forward and encounters what he assuredly knows is part of the female anatomy.

She jerks away from him as he lifts his hands, pulling the towel with him as a part of the material is caught on his wristwatch. She gasps and grabs the towel back to her body but not before Rick was presented with a perfect set of breasts, a flat stomach and the smoothest looking skin he has ever seen.

"Damn it." She covers herself as best as she can before grabbing something from a nearby table and racing to the fence where the noise originated.

Rick shakes his head in disbelief, suddenly recalling the noise he heard and follows her after picking himself up off the ground with a groan. He makes his way to her side, mesmerized as she picks off the undead through the fence with a sword, holding the drooping towel against her body. "Please….let me help you."

He offers his hand to accept the sword so she can adjust the towel accordingly.

She hesitates for only a moment before handing the sword to him. She immediately adjusts the towel. "I'm not sure how many are out there. I'll put the lights out near the showers and come right back."

He nods as she takes off.

She returns several moments later, having donned a sleeveless shirt and jeans and acquiring a long spike that she immediately uses to kill the undead through the fence. They work in unison, neither speaking a word until the rattling of the fence stops and they can only detect familiar sounds of the night, no snarling and growling of the undead.

She drops her head with a sigh, her shoulders bowing in slightly.

"How often does that happen?" Rick asks.

"It wasn't happening at all until a week ago. That's the second time I've had to do that and there were more than last time." She finally glances his way, but can't detect much in the dark. "Thank you."

"No problem, but when you say "I've had to do that", are you telling me that no one has been helping you?"

"You must be new around here?" She acknowledges.

"Just arrived today." Rick returns.

"Well, you'll learn soon enough that not a lot of people are taking this as seriously as they should. I went to Josiah when this first happened and all he said was that the fences will keep them out. That may be true, but those things have body weight just like we do, so what happens if too many of them are at the fence?"

"Do you think it'll make a difference having a witness? I don't mind telling him what we had to do," he offers.

"It might make a difference coming from a man. He thinks I should be alongside Aileen and her welcoming committee, but he can keep wishing," she states.

Rick smiles, making up his mind that he likes her whoever she is. "I'm Rick, by the way. Nice to meet you."

"Michonne. Nice to meet you, too."

"Hey, umm….I'm really sorry about that thang at the shower. I was just exploring and heard that noise and….."

She interrupts with, "It's already forgotten."

He sighs with relief. "Should we talk to Josiah now or…."

"No, it can wait until tomorrow. What tent are you in? I can come by after breakfast. He's always in a good mood after a meal."

Rick laughs. "Number 10. So, are you here with family?"

"I got out of the city with my boyfriend, Mike. You?" She asks.

"The city? Atlanta? You were there?"

"Yeah, it's overrun. Everyone had to evacuate," she relays.

"Damn."

"What's wrong?" She inquires.

"That's where my wife and I were headed. My plan was to rest here for a couple days and move on. People told us to go to the CDC in Atlanta. That we'd be safe there," Rick professes.

Michonne gives him a sad smile, detecting the disappointment in his voice. "I hate to give you bad news, but I would not venture into the city if I were you." She gives him a minute to process that information. "Well, have a good night. I'll see you in the morning."

Rick watches as she walks away then slowly makes his way back to the tent, unsure of how he will tell Lori that Atlanta is not a viable plan anymore.

The next morning, Michonne arrives at tent number 10 and is immediately invited in by Rick. He introduces her to his wife and briefly explains about the situation he and Michonne are going to talk with Josiah about. He wanted to relay everything to Lori last night but she was fast asleep and he didn't have the heart to wake her.

Their talk with Josiah went exactly as Michonne thought it would. He discredited everything she relayed to him and the others simply because a female shouldn't be concerned about those type things. Even when Rick intervened on her behalf, reiterating the story, Josiah brushed him off because he had only been in camp for one day.

The two of them are walking towards the back of the camp to check the area before venturing outside the fences to gauge where the undead may be coming from. Once they affirm that the way is clear, they make their way to the front, informing the guard on duty that they are making a sweep around the camp grounds.

They take the time to remove the rotting corpses from the fence, placing them in a pile a short distance away. At Rick's suggestion, they walk a little further out, encountering a wooded area, but can't honestly determine where the undead may be coming from.

"So, there are only guards at the entrance? No one makes perimeter checks and guards the rear?" Rick asks.

"That pretty much sums it up," she returns.

He thinks for a moment before asking, "How do you feel about taking this on ourselves? We can do perimeter checks in the morning and at night and I'll guard the rear for so many hours and you can do the same."

"I'm all for it, but once Josiah gets wind of it, he's going to shut us down. I know it. He'll look at it as if we're trying to take over his position running this place," she predicts.

"Well, we'll do it until that happens. We just completed a perimeter check, so if you want to take watch duty now, I'll relieve you in about 2 hours. Aileen is giving us a tour or something."

"Take as much time as you need. I can do way more than two hours. Maybe 6 or…." She stops as he shakes his head.

"We start out small. We don't want to draw attention to what we're doing if you're so sure Josiah will be against it," Rick returns.

Michonne looks at him with something akin to respect in her eyes. She nods slowly. "You're right. Ok, two hours. Let's do it."

At least two weeks have passed and Rick and Michonne are diligent with their watch duty and perimeter checks. Lori is so busy acclimating herself into Aileen's welcoming committee that she rarely pays attention to what Rick is doing with his time. He is not one to complain, but he has spoken to her about sharpening her skills when it comes to taking down the undead. His suggestion continues to be ignored.

As for Michonne and Mike, he is very much attuned to her activities and utilizes every opportunity to tell her that she is taking this threat much too seriously. He wants her to relax and be assured that they are safe in the camp, so all of her perimeter checks and hours of watch duty with her new friend are for naught.

His words are playing over and over again in her head as she forces her sword into the frontal lobe of a decaying, walking corpse through the fence. They have had at least two more encounters like this, but Josiah continues to ignore the threat.

The latter has decided to call a meeting to discuss a much needed run as the camp's supplies are dwindling fast. Once he asks for volunteers, Rick and Michonne are the first to speak up.

Mike frantically grabs her arm. "You can't keep going out there."

She looks over to see Rick watching them and Lori watching Rick. "We'll talk about this later."

"When are you going to start listening to me? In here, we're safe. Out there, we're not. You can't keep risking your life like that. I won't allow it."

"You won't allow…." She begins as Josiah interrupts her.

"I was wondering when you were going to step up and put that woman in her place. Be a man, Mike."

Michonne is so shocked that all she can do is walk off as she refuses to have such a private matter between her and her boyfriend on display for the entire camp to witness.

Rick watches as Mike falls into step behind her and follows. He hopes his friend will be ok.

Lori places a hand at her husband's shoulder. "They'll be fine." She wonders for only a second if she should be more concerned about Rick's new friendship with the beautiful woman with the sword.

In tent number 20 where Mike and Michonne reside, she sits quietly while he has his rant, reiterating his displeasure with her going on yet another run.

"I understand that you don't want to go out there. That's why I've decided to do it. Everyone has to pull their weight around here, Mike. I'm good at this and they need all the help they can get," Michonne relays. "It wouldn't hurt for you to join us. You need to learn how to kill them."

"It's way too dangerous out there. I'm not putting myself at risk and I wish you'd do the same. Besides, how does it look with you being the only female amongst a bunch of men?"

"That's the least of our problems. No one's concerned with gender on a run. We're pulling together to get the supplies we need for survival. Nothing else." She states.

Mike scoffs as he looks at her. "If you believe that, then you're more gullible than I thought. I've seen how these guys look at you and I'm telling you, you are not safe out there."

"So, explain to me how I've gone on 2 runs already with no problems. The threat is the undead and the sooner you realize that, the better off you'll be." She watches as Mike deflates slightly. "Just please stop fighting me on this. I need your support more than anything right now. Is that too much to ask?"

Mike slowly opens his arms and sighs as Michonne walks into them and they wrap their arms around each other. "Just promise me you'll be careful."

"Always am, Mike. I always am."

Meanwhile, Lori and Rick have made their way to their tent after the meeting concluded. Rick had been doing a lot of thinking during the meeting and especially after watching the exchange between Michonne and Mike. He's not sure where these feelings are coming from, but he needs Lori to be more diligent in learning how to survive in this world. She has some knowledge, but her lack of proficiency scares him.

"How do you feel about joining us on the run tomorrow?" He suggests.

Lori scoffs. "Are you serious? I'd be no good out there."

"Don't sell yourself short. You were out there exposed to those things just like I was and you stepped up when you needed to. I think you should keep that momentum going."

"Rick, I'm doing what I do best and that's helping Aileen with the food supply, with the meals, the laundry. I'm fine with that. I'm still contributing." She looks deeply into his eyes. "What is this about anyway?"

He shakes his head. "Nothing. It's nothing. I just want you to be safe."

"We are safe, baby."

An hour later, Rick finds himself walking to the rear of the camp grounds. He's unsure about foregoing the watch in order to get some sleep to be at his best for the run on tomorrow, so he just wants to check on the fence before retiring for the night. He is not surprised to find Michonne already there, walking from one end of the rear fence to the other.

She smiles when she sees him. "I got it. You need to get some sleep."

"Thought we were in this together?" He asks.

"We are, but you need to be at your best for the run tomorrow."

"So, am I to assume that Mike talked you out of going?" He inquires cautiously, not wanting to overstep his bounds with his friend.

"He tried, but I hope I got him to understand that this is needed. He's not happy about it, but we'll be ok," she tells him.

Rick nods with a sigh. "Yeah, I tried to talk to Lori about being a little more proactive. She needs to learn more about killing those things, but she seems pretty content with handling food and cleaning duties. I don't want to push her, but…."

"I don't know what to say to that. I feel the same way about Mike but he's got his mind made up about not going out there. I can't force him to do it, so I do what I can for the both of us."

"Maybe I should just adopt your attitude and pray for the best." Rick looks to her, needing her approval for some reason.

"Two prayers are better than one, right?" They smile at each other and continue to talk, only breaking away when Lori comes looking for her husband.


	2. Chapter 2

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 2)

 **A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews, the follows, and the faves. I appreciate all of you.**

Lori and Rick walk slowly back to their tent and start to prepare for bed. She watches her husband curiously as he makes his way to his cot and begins to undress.

"If I ask you something, will be you be honest with me?" Lori asks.

"Of course," he returns.

"Are you and Michonne sleeping together? I really don't think you are but you spend so much time together and I've seen the way you look at her."

"Lori, I am not sleeping with Michonne. She's my friend and you know me better than that. I wouldn't do that to you." He sighs as one of her comments bothers him more than her infidelity question. "How do I look at her?"

"I don't know. There's just this…admiration or respect. I guess it's harmless, but it did make me wonder," Lori admits as she walks over to her husband and drops to her knees in front of him.

Rick cups his wife's face with his hands. "I do admire her and I respect her. She's trying really hard to navigate her way through this mess we're in and she's really smart and she's helped me. You too for that matter. She was the one to tell me about Atlanta. Do you remember Josiah or any of the others warning us against Atlanta when we told them that's where we were headed?"

Lori nods despite being a little jealous hearing her husband praise his friend. She wants that kind of praise reserved only for her. She may not be able to do the things Michonne can do, but she knew she could get her husband's praises in another way. She leans in and kisses him softly, raising her hands to his chest. "It's been a while. I think we're way overdue."

Rick doesn't have the heart to tell her he's not in the mood, especially since he should be as they haven't been intimate in over a week. He returns her kisses and caresses and allows her to have her way with him.

Further down the lane in tent number 20, Michonne is being serviced by Mike in the most intimate way. He never fails to satisfy her, but for some reason she is truly preoccupied by her thoughts. She concludes that it's about the run tomorrow and tries to keep her concentration on Mike and the sensations he is invoking at her core. Despite her distractions, she begins to feel the familiar stirrings of an orgasm and relaxes her body completely to allow the buzz to roam throughout her body.

Her boyfriend smiles knowingly as he lifts his head and guides himself into her slowly.

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The next morning, the group is having breakfast together as usual. Rick sits by Lori's side, a look of pensiveness evident on his face. He feels her hand in his hair in an effort to bring his attention back to her.

"Hey. Where'd you go?" Lori smiles, hoping he is remembering the incredible night they shared.

Rick swallows visibly. "I'm here." He gives her a slight smile, thanking all that is holy that she is not privy to his thoughts. He doesn't want to fathom how hurt his wife would be if she knew that during the throes of their passion, a vision of dark, perfectly rounded breasts came to the forefront of his mind. He is unsure of how that memory even resurfaced as he hasn't thought about that encounter since it happened. He tries not to get angry with himself as he doesn't want to think of his friend in that way. He decides right then and there to put it out of his mind and concentrate on the task at hand.

An hour later, the team is packed and ready to begin the mission of a much needed supply run. Rick and Michonne stand with Lori and Mike as they briefly exchange goodbyes. Five men and one woman make up their team as they pile into two vehicles and start the journey to the closest town.

Their first stop is a store equivalent to a Dollar Supply. It's small and they have hit it before but search all the same just in case they missed something last time. Only thirty minutes later, they are moving on to the next stop.

"You're awfully quiet. Just concentrating on the task?" Michonne asks Rick, a slight look of concern in her eyes.

He nods with a small smile. "Yeah. We have to be ready for any and everythang out here."

She accepts his words, taking them to heart as she gives her full attention to their mission.

They manage to find enough food and water to sustain the group for another week. Michonne suggests that they go further out, so they won't find themselves on another run in a matter of days. Rick agrees with her, but Jay, the lead on this run shoots down the idea, stating they should return to camp while it was still light out.

Rick and Michonne share a look, but decide not to argue. They all pitch in to secure the supplies in the beds of the two trucks and prepare to travel back to the camp grounds. Jay decides to venture off their chartered route, citing a short cut. Rick voices his opinion, letting Jay know that he didn't think that was a good idea. The latter ended up being accurate as they had to come to a complete stop in the middle of the road as a herd of walkers was spotted only miles ahead.

"We should double back before we're seen or heard," Michonne suggests.

They turn back, making their way to the original route. Several minutes later, the driver behind them starts flashing his headlights, indicating the need to stop. The two vehicles pull over and everyone files out.

Jay walks over to his second in command, Warren, who is the driver of the second vehicle. "What's going on?"

"Using up more fuel than anticipated with us having to double back. I'm gonna have Steve put in the last of our gas and that should be enough to get us back to camp. Just in the future, let's stick to what we know," Warren reminds him.

"You trying to call me out on my decision?" Jay asks.

"I'm just stating the obvious and to tell you we need to scavenge for more gas while we're out," Warren returns.

Rick looks to Michonne as they are standing by the first vehicle, keeping watch. "This happen a lot?"

"Not really. I don't know what Jay was trying to do. He knows we should keep to the routine. Things can go wrong when we try to switch it up. Case in point. Now, we need to find some gas and that's a lot harder than getting the supplies."

"We passed a couple of stations….."

"I doubt if they have gas, though. We'll do better with an abandoned vehicle," she says.

Rick lifts his gun as he notices three figures moving their way.

Michonne does the same with her katana as Jay walks back to them after being alerted by the others.

Jay points his weapon. "That's far enough, friends. Y'all wanna put your hands up?"

The three men comply as Jay signals for Warren and two others to conduct a routine search and relieve them of their supplies and weapons.

The group makes their way back to the first vehicle where Jay interrogates them.

The tall one introduces himself as Theodore "T-Dog" Douglas and his companions as Glenn Rhee and Oliver Melendez. The three of them were leaving Atlanta and ran out of gas several miles back. They have no distinct destination, just were going to keep walking until they found something.

Jay nods. "Well, looks like you found something. We have a camp, so you're welcome to join us."

T-Dog and his companions smile. "Thank you. We sure would appreciate it."

They all pile back into the vehicles and immediately start scoping the area for vehicles to scavenge for gas. At least two vehicles are found within 30 minutes and they are able to fill one of the gas cans. Jay tells everyone to take a 10 minute break as when they get back on the road, it will be non-stop to try and get back to camp before dark.

Michonne is about to walk away when Rick detains her.

"Where you headed?" He asks.

She gives him a smile. "I need a bathroom break if you don't mind."

He blushes slightly. "Sorry. Just being cautious."

She nods as she moves off.

Five minutes later, she hasn't returned and Rick becomes a little concerned. He looks around him to account for the others and realizes that Oliver is missing as well. For some reason, that bothers him so he tells Jay he's going for a bathroom break and moves off in the direction he saw Michonne take.

Several steps into the woods, he walks up on Oliver straddling Michonne delivering a fist to her face. He takes off in a sprint and dives directly at Oliver, tackling him to the ground. He doesn't give him a chance to deliver a blow as Rick starts railing on him immediately. He delivers blow after blow until Oliver is rendered unconscious.

Michonne walks over to him slowly, adjusting her ripped shirt as best as she can.

Rick stands and meets her, taking in her bloodied nose and busted lip. "You okay?"

She nods, looking at his bloody hands. "You?"

"I'll be fine. Just tell me that asshole wasn't trying to do what I think he was trying to do."

"If you mean rape me, then that's exactly what he was trying to do. He snuck up behind me and put me in a choke hold until I almost passed out, then he threw me on the ground and started punching me," she relays.

Rick pulls his gun from his holster and walks back to Oliver's unconscious body. "I should put a hole in his head."

Jay and Warren walk up, guns drawn.

"We're ready to pull out. What's going on and what the hell happened to you?" He directs the last question to Michonne.

"This asshole tried to rape her. I say we kill him," Rick suggests, still aiming his gun at Oliver's head.

Jay and Warren walk over to him and look down at Oliver.

"Well he certainly won't be coming back to camp with us." Warren pulls out his canteen and pours water on Oliver's face.

"You worked him over pretty good, Grimes," Jay acknowledges.

"Yeah, he deserves worse than that though," Rick returns.

"Can we just go now? We don't need to waste any more time," Michonne tells them.

"Just a moment," Warren says as he bends down to face Oliver who is sputtering awake.

"What the hell, man?" Oliver sits up and looks around.

Warren looks him dead in his eyes. "So, you got a thing for raping women, huh?"

"Look man. I asked nicely and when she didn't agree, well…."

Michonne interrupts him. "You didn't ask me anything! You put me in a freaking choke hold and started punching me!"

"Hey, guys. That's not how it went down. It's been a while for me so I just needed to let some of the pressure off, you know," Oliver explains. "One woman and five guys. I know what she's here for."

Rick is doing everything to restrain himself, trying to allow Warren and Jay to handle it but all he wants to do is shoot this asshole in the head and end his miserable life once and for all.

Warren nods his head as he looks to Rick and Jay. "You don't know shit and you picked the wrong woman to fuck with. You see, we don't take too kindly to anybody putting their hands on any of our people."

"So what's gonna happen is we're gonna tie you up to that tree over there and leave you for any of the undead that come along," Jay tells him.

"What? You can't do that. I made a mistake. It won't happen again," Oliver pleads.

"You're right. It won't happen again." Jay delivers a sound kick to Oliver's face, then turns to Rick. "Hey, man. Y'all wanna go on to the truck and gear up to head out? Use that first aid kit to patch yourselves up. We'll be there in just a moment."

Rick gets the picture and is assured that Jay and Warren will handle Oliver.

Michonne wants to argue, but allows Rick to take her gently by the elbow as they make their way back to the vehicles.

By the time they arrive at camp, it is dark as Rick, Jay, and Warren took the time to interrogate T-Dog and Glenn even further. They couldn't take the chance of letting a couple of rapists into their camp. The newcomers' only saving grace was that they met up with Oliver by chance and didn't actually know him. Jay warned them that they'd be watched and if they made one wrong move, they'd be banished, no questions asked.

Michonne hops out of the truck and immediately heads to the rear of the camp.

Rick walks up beside her, realizing where she is headed. He wants to tell her that she should go straight to Mike after the ordeal she suffered through, but he only follows her lead.

Just as they both suspected, more of the undead were ambling out the wooded area and making their way to the camp. The two fighters jog to meet the threat, Michonne utilizing her sword as Rick unsheathes a long hunting knife.

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Several days have passed and the camp is almost in the same predicament with their food supply, signaling another upcoming run just as Michonne calculated. Jay seeks her out as he is going to each of his team members, asking if they will be ready. Mike sits by quietly seething as he listens to her conversation with Jay.

Once Jay exits their tent, Michonne braces herself for Mike's rant as he hasn't let her forget what happened on the last run. When it doesn't come, she looks at him to find him glaring at her.

"Whatever you're going to say, I wish you'd just say it," she professes.

"It wouldn't do any good anyway." He stands and walks out of the tent without another word.

Later that night, after dinner, Michonne is sitting at a bench alone near the rear of the camp. She is on watch duty, but all is quiet so she takes the time to sharpen and clean her sword. She is surprised when Lori walks over to her and asks if she can sit down. Michonne looks behind her, thinking Rick is with her.

"Oh, he's taking a nap so he can relieve you later on. I'm surprised no one else has volunteered to help y'all since it's no big secret anymore and Josiah hasn't said anything against it," Lori observes.

"Well, Rick is actually trying to work something out with the new guys, so we should have some help soon enough," Michonne returns. "Was there something you needed?"

"I just want to talk…if that's ok," Lori suggests. With Michonne's nod, she takes a seat on the bench as well.

"Mike is worried about you," Lori offers.

Michonne's eyes shoot up to Lori's, wondering why Mike would be talking with Lori about her. "What?"

"He's worried about you. He doesn't want you going out there, risking your life and I think you should listen to him. Let the men handle fighting these things and going out there for supplies. Besides, look what happened to you the last time. That is a clear indication that you shouldn't be out there with them. Too much could go wrong and there is plenty of work for you to do here in the camp."

Michonne narrows her eyes at Lori, not liking where this conversation is headed. "Oh yeah, like what?"

"Well, we have to do laundry just about every day and of course we're cooking every day. We need all the help we can get. You're the only female who's trying to fit in with the men and a lot of us would appreciate it if you'd just stay in your rightful place," Lori tells her.

"And just what is my rightful place? Because I'm a female I'm supposed to cook and clean for my boyfriend, wait on him hand and foot?" She places her sword carefully on the table of the bench and faces Lori fully. "Let's get one thing straight. That may be what you want to do, but it's not what I want to do. Furthermore, I'd appreciate it if Mike comes to you again, you just tell him you don't want to get involved."

Lori scoffs as she can't believe how defensive Michonne is being. "I was only trying to help you. Your boyfriend doesn't want you out there and a lot of the women in this camp would appreciate it if you weren't alone with their husbands all the time."

Michonne gives a light laugh. "Is that what this is all about? You're concerned about the time I spend with Rick?"

"I didn't say that. I didn't say it was me," Lori exclaims.

"You didn't have to."

"I'm only trying to give you some sound advice. The women of this camp don't like you. They don't know what goes on while you're out there with their men. That could change if you start doing things a little differently around here," Lori advises.

Michonne can't help feeling a little hurt hearing what the other women in the camp think of her. All she is trying to do is learn how to survive in this world and they want to give her shit about going on runs and doing the job that they think is only reserved for men. She is really hurt by the fact that Mike went to someone else about her. That makes her feel like the one person who is supposed to support her doesn't.

"I'm not going to apologize to you or anyone else for what I do to contribute around here. Just because it's not up to your standards doesn't make it wrong," Michonne states. "Good night, Lori."

Lori frowns as she realizes she is being dismissed. She slowly lifts herself from the bench and makes her way to the tent she shares with Rick.

Hours later, Rick shows up to relieve Michonne. She informs him that everything has been quiet and immediately prepares to leave.

Rick is taken aback as she always sits with him for a little while to talk. He hates to admit how much he looks forward to that each day. "Hey. Everythang ok?"

She nods quietly, deliberately avoiding his eyes. "Good night."


	3. Chapter 3

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 3)

"Hey. You don't look ok to me. Are you sure you're alright?" Rick feels the compulsion that something is bothering her and he refuses to let it go.

She finally looks into his eyes, searching them. _I never noticed how blue his eyes are._ "Can I….can I trust you?"

He frowns at hearing that question. "Of course you can."

T-Dog walks up, leading with a greeting, then slows down as it looks like he may have interrupted something. "Hey. Don't mind me. I'll just…."

"Hey. What do you need?" Rick asks, turning his attention to T-Dog.

Michonne attempts to turn and walk away, but Rick places a hand at her shoulder and asks her to wait.

"I was just gonna see if I could go ahead and start watch duty tonight. I can't sleep so I might as well try to do something productive," T-Dog states.

Rick smiles as this will give him an opportunity to talk with Michonne. "That would be great. You got a weapon, right? You remember everythang we discussed?"

T-Dog nods. "I got it. Thanks for letting me help you out. Y'all have a good night."

Rick and Michonne bid T-Dog a good night and move off to the dining area towards the front of the camp. It only consists of a limited number of bench tables, but it's deserted and gives them some privacy for the talk Michonne needs to have.

She calmly relays her conversation with Lori and asks him not to say anything to her about it.

"I think I should say something. That was not her place to come to you like that. I understand Mike is concerned but he should talk to you, not Lori."

"I know. I plan to talk to him, but I just can't right now. You'd think something like this would pull people closer together. I'm in a relationship and I've never felt more alone," Michonne admits.

Her look is so downtrodden that Rick is willing to do and say anything to see her smile.

"Hey. You're not alone. I'm not much, but you got me." He gives her a slight smile, hoping she'll give him one in return. When she does, his heart swells with happiness.

"Thanks for listening," Michonne offers.

"You'd do the same for me, right?" Rick asks. After she nods, he continues with, "Don't be concerned about what these people are thinking. That's the least of our worries and as long as you know the truth, nothing else matters. You're doing the right thing here, so don't let anyone convince you different."

She allows his words to sink in, glad that she decided to trust Rick with her feelings. _He really is a good guy._

"Well, we don't get many opportunities like this, so you'd better get some sleep while you can," she reminds him.

"Only problem with that is I'm not sleepy at all," Rick returns.

Michonne nods. "I'm sure Lori would enjoy some time with her husband."

Rick really looks at the woman in front of him and wonders how she can still consider others even when they haven't been as considerate of her.

She stands, prompting him to do the same. "I guess we should call it a night."

They walk down the lane quietly and Rick stops when Michonne stops in front of a tent that is clearly not hers.

"See you tomorrow." She ducks in and jerks around when Rick ducks in right behind her.

"Uh…this isn't your tent." He looks around, taking in the boxes of supplies, a variety of weapons and ammo. He surmises that this must be some sort of storage, but doesn't remember Aileen pointing this out on their tour.

"I know, but there are a couple of cots in the back. I'm gonna sleep here tonight," she states.

"What? Why?"

She sighs. "I've already had words with your wife. It'll be more of the same with Mike and I'm just not in the mood."

"Well, what are you in the mood for? I mean, what else can we do besides talk?" Rick cringes just a little, hoping that didn't sound like he was suggesting anything other than what he was suggesting.

She moves over to one of the boxes and after a few minutes, retrieves a deck of cards. She holds them up with a smile.

They try and keep quiet as they are having the best time, playing Go Fish and I Declare War…..games from both of their childhoods. From there, they spread out on the cots, facing each other and continue to talk about their favorite movies, mimicking certain lines and trying not to laugh too loud.

Rick can't remember the last time he has had this much fun, especially since the world changed. He realizes it's only temporary but wishes the lightness of this moment could last forever.

Michonne looks over at him, taking in the way his entire face has changed. He appears so carefree to her, the huge grin causing crinkles at his eyes, the mass of messy curls, the way he grabs at his stomach when he laughs like he's trying to hold it in. She continues to listen to him talk, enjoying this moment like none other.

At the same time, Rick is watching Michonne, allowing his eyes to travel innocently from her head down to her mud encrusted boots. He likes the highlights of red, light brown, and some sandy color threaded through her hair, her long lashes encasing doe-shaped eyes, her full heart shaped lips…..

He pops up suddenly with a slight frown. "How old are you?"

Michonne props up on her elbows, turning her head to face him. "How old do I look?"

"Don't play. Tell me."

"You. Tell. Me," she responds with a devilish smile.

Rick drops back to the cot, looking up to the tent's ceiling. He turns his head toward her. "Some days you look to be in your 30s, but sometimes I look at you and you look so young to me….20s maybe. So which is it?"

"I should let you keep wondering." She pauses as he pouts playfully. "I'm 31, Rick. Satisfied?"

He gives her a genuine smile and nods. "Just in case you're wondering, I'm 35."

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Michonne opens her eyes with several blinks and a yawn. She is just about to stretch when she looks over and notices Rick fast asleep in the cot across from hers. _Damn. We fell asleep._ She gets up slowly, rolling her shoulders and neck before moving over to Rick and shaking him gently.

He turns over to face her, taking in his surroundings. "We fell asleep?"

She nods. "Looks that way." She pauses. "Guess I better go home and face the music."

They both retrieve their weapons and Rick opens the flap entrance, allowing Michonne to step out first.

Just down the lane, Mike is walking in her direction, searching for her. He is about to call to her when he sees Rick step out of the tent after her. All Mike can see is red as he sprints toward them and shoves Michonne out of the way to confront Rick.

"Mike, what are you doing?" Michonne yells, then gasps as he takes a swing at Rick.

Rick deflects it perfectly, holding his hands up. "I don't want any trouble, Mike."

"You don't want any trouble?! You spend the night with my girlfriend and you don't want any trouble?!" Mike yells.

"Spend the night…" Rick trails off as he looks at Michonne, then at the tent they just emerged from and groans as the implications start forming in his head.

"This is not what you think it is." Michonne tells Mike, feeling a slight panic because coming out of that tent with Rick in the early morning hours may give the wrong impression.

Mike lunges at Rick again so Michonne places herself in between the two men. She is about to appeal to Mike again when Lori walks up.

Rick groans as Lori asks, "What's going on?"

"You wanna know what's going on? Your husband is sleeping with my girlfriend and I'm gonna kick his ass!" Mike promises.

Lori frowns as she looks from Mike to Michonne and lastly to Rick. "I thought you were on watch last night."

"I was but T-Dog relieved me so Michonne and I talked and…." Rick trails off as he realizes exactly how this is going to sound to his wife. He scrubs his face absently. "Lori, I swear to you this is not what it looks like."

"He's lying! I saw the two of them step out of this tent….together! What are they doing coming out of the same tent this time of morning?" Mike wants to know.

"Well, isn't that the supply tent? It would appear to me that if we're getting ready to go on a run, maybe we need to take inventory and see what's needed most," Jay intervenes as he walked up minutes ago to see what all the yelling was about.

"Inventory?" Lori asks.

"Yes, this is the supply tent," Jay explains as he pulls the tent's flap back to reveal what was inside. He then turns to the gathering crowd and tells them to get back to whatever they were doing.

Mike gently pulls Michonne to his side away from Rick who he continues to eye suspiciously. "Let's go."

Michonne shares one last look with Rick before allowing Mike to guide her to their tent.

Lori didn't miss the exchange between Rick and Michonne and immediately flounces off to their tent. Rick follows her slowly, regretting the questions she is bound to ask.

"I don't want you seeing her anymore," Lori tells Rick after he explains to her what happened.

Something tells him he probably should've gone with the inventory route that Jay ingeniously gave them, but he doesn't want to lie to his wife. He is trying to control his anger as he listens to Lori tell him to end his friendship with Michonne.

"My friendship with her is innocent and I can't believe you don't trust me," he tells her.

"Just tell me how all of this looks. These people think you're sleeping with her," she accuses.

"I don't give a damn what these people think or how you think it looks. Nothing happened. I talked to her because she was upset about the bullshit you spewed at her," Rick reminds his wife.

Lori's eyes pop as she recalls the conversation she had with Michonne. She shouldn't be surprised. She should've known Michonne would tell Rick all about it. "Her boyfriend came to me. I thought I was doing the right thing."

"Well, I think it would be best if you stayed out of their business," Rick states.

"I'll stay out of it, but I still don't think it's a good idea for you to remain friends with her." Lori jumps as Rick loses his patience.

"This is what you're concerned about?! Who I'm friends with?! There are creatures out there eating human flesh and we are living in a refugee camp and you want to come at me with this bullshit?! I'm going to tell you one last time, nothing happened between me and Michonne, but you can believe what you want because I'm tired of giving a shit!" He walks out of the tent, leaving Lori to ponder on his words.

Meanwhile, Michonne is sitting quietly as Mike asks her the same questions over and over again. It is almost like he thinks he can trick her some kind of way and get her to reveal that she actually slept with Rick. For all the crap she is getting, maybe she should've slept with him.

"I just can't believe y'all just talked and you ended up falling asleep. He didn't try anything?" Mike asks yet again.

"Why don't you trust me? I've been nothing but honest with you yet you continue to ask me about Rick over and over again. I did not sleep with him."

"But you wanted to, right? You thought about it?"

Michonne sighs with aggravation. "What's the bottom line here Mike? Either you believe me or you don't. I'm not going to continue to sit here and answer the same questions over and over again."

"I just don't know what to believe. How did the two of you stay in that tent all night and not fool around?" Mike asks.

"Because we're both in committed relationships and care about our significant others. Because a man and a woman can be friends without having sex. Because he was there for me when you should've been," Michonne explains.

That last statement really gets Mike's attention. He looks away from her, feeling the heaviness of guilt.

"There is so much bullshit going on all around us. Why are you trying so hard to create a pile of it right here between us?" She sighs again as she rises from her cot. "I'm going for a walk." She hesitates for just a moment, thinking Mike may try and detain her, that maybe he'd apologize and she could forgive him. When he remains quiet, she steps out of the tent and moves toward the front exit.

She notices Rick seated in the small dining area and everything in her wants to make a beeline straight for him, but maybe she should pull back. Maybe their friendship is causing too much strife for the both of them. She scoffs as she realizes neither of them have checked on T-Dog. That would be the perfect excuse to approach him but she decides against it, continuing on to her destination.

Rick looks up just in time to see her approach the guard on watch duty. He watches their exchange and swallows hard as she walks out of the camp. Everything in him is screaming for him to follow her but after his argument with Lori, he just wants some time alone. He needs to re-evaluate the situation and figure out what he has done wrong.

Glenn walks into his line of vision and that immediately reminds him of T-Dog.

Taking care of watch duty is the distraction he needs as he greets Glenn and asks him to walk with him. Part of his attention is given to Glenn and T-Dog as the latter gives a report about his uneventful night of watch duty. The other part is glancing at his watch and watching the lane to see if a familiar figure returns.

Glenn happily takes over watch duty for T-Dog who retires to his tent, finally feeling the draw of sleepiness.

Rick contemplates going back to the tent to check on Lori but is not in the mood for any more drama. He walks in the direction of his tent, but finds himself bypassing it and exiting the camp grounds after telling the watch duty guard he was going to check on Michonne.

He finds her sitting beneath a tree with her knees drawn up, a book resting on them as she reads. He can't help but smile at her boldness. He approaches her slowly.

"I really don't think this is the best setting for that Harlequin romance you're drooling over," he observes.

Michonne can't help laughing. _What is it about this man that sets everything at ease?_ She looks away from him, not willing to explore those thoughts any further. "I don't think Lori would appreciate you being out here like this."

"No, she wouldn't," he agrees.

"Thank you for being there for me. I don't think I've ever had a true male friend," Michonne admits.

Rick leans back against the tree as he stands and looks down at her. "True male friend? What does that mean?"

"It means that every guy that I have ever considered a friend always tried to see if he could get into my pants first. They opted for friendship when they realized they couldn't get what they really wanted," Michonne explains.

"Sounds like you've had a lot of jerks for friends," Rick returns.

She laughs again and it is like music to his ears. "I hate to say this but maybe you should be inside checking on your wife instead of out here with me."

Rick frowns. "Are you buying into this 'what are people going to think' bullshit?"

"No, I'm not but you should consider if the roles were reversed and Lori had a close male friend. How would you feel if she was spending a lot of time with him and other people started to notice and…"

Rick cuts her off as he calls her name softly.

"It's for the best, Rick. It'll keep down confusion and maybe everyone will forget that they think we're sleeping together."

"So you're dumping me as your friend?" Rick asks, his voice laced with disappointment.

"Don't say it like that. We'll always be friends, but you should put Lori first."

"Is that what you're going to do with Mike?"

"I don't know what I'm going to do with Mike. I don't want to have to fight out here and inside too. That's way too draining, but how do you break up with someone now?"

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Two days later, the run team has assembled again with the addition of Glenn and T-Dog. They already know they are going to have to go out further than ever before and are prepared to be away from the camp for at least 24 hours, 48 max.

Michonne and Rick have managed to avoid each other much to Lori and Mike's satisfaction. They even sit in different vehicles as they prepare to move out. After scavenging all day and only procuring half of the supplies they need, Jay announces that they will secure a store or building of some sort to hunker down for the night.

Hours later, they are set up on the second floor of an abandoned building, watch duty assignments mapped out and the others branching off to do their own thing. Rick is unsure of his welcome, but seeks Michonne out just the same. She is seated in a corner, preparing to ingest a meager dinner of canned sweet corn.

"Mind if I join you?" He asks, holding up a can of green beans. "I'm willing to share if you are."

She smiles, trying not to show just how happy she is. She has missed him more than she ever thought she would.

"I've got a surprise for you," he tells her.

"What?"

He reaches into his back jeans pocket and retrieves a bar of her favorite candy. She gasps and practically yanks it from his hand. He quickly yanks it back.

"You gotta win it."

"Win it? You said it was a surprise….for me," she reminds him.

"Well, aren't you surprised that I have a Big Kat?"

She narrows her eyes at him and returns to the task of opening the can. "So how can I win it?"

He reaches into his other back pocket and produces a deck of cards. "Best two out of three I Declare War or Go Fish….you pick."

All she can do is smile.

A day later, they are on the return trip to camp, having had a successful run. Rick and Michonne are seated in a vehicle together and haven't stopped talking since they first got on the road. T-Dog and Jay join the conversation here and there, but for the most part it is just Rick and Michonne.

"What the hell?" T-Dog exclaims as Jay pulls the truck to a complete stop a few feet from the entrance of the camp or what used to be the camp. The undead are everywhere as several sections of the fences are down as well as some of the tents, no sign of human life evident.


	4. Chapter 4

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 4)

 **A/N: Thank you all so much for the great reviews and the support.**

"What are we going to do? We can't stay," T-Dog informs them.

"We can't leave either. What if someone is alive and needs help?" Michonne asks.

"I'm going in. I have to find my wife," Rick tells them. He reaches for the door handle and Michonne reaches for him. He looks into her eyes, but before she can say anything, Jay does.

"Just hold on. We need a plan. Y'all know we're gonna have to use guns with as many of those things out there…."

"Walkers," T-Dog supplies, interrupting Jay.

"What?" Jay asks, looking over at him.

"We call 'em walkers," T-Dog repeats.

"Yeah, ok. We need to fight our way to the supply tent and load up on as many weapons and ammo as possible," Rick commands.

"We need to move now and inform the others," Jay states as he puts the truck in reverse and moves alongside the second vehicle. He quickly informs team 2 of their plans and they all get prepared to fight their way inside.

They use the same strategy as they do on runs, the two teams spreading out to cover more ground. Rick and Michonne are side by side as he uses his python first, taking down walkers to clear their path. As he reloads, Michonne evolves into double time as she decapitates two and three walkers at once. She surmises pretty quickly that she is going to master a gun next.

It seems like forever before they make it to the supply tent, but in reality it has only been several minutes. Jay and T-Dog run inside the tent, while Rick and Michonne continue to fight. Team 2 handles the threat across the way as they quickly load up on weapons and ammo as sufficiently as they can.

The further they move into the camp the crowd of walkers thins out. Eventually, they split up into teams of two as they look for their loved ones and any survivors. They come to tent number 10 and Michonne waits outside while Rick goes inside to check for Lori. He returns shortly with a shake of his head.

Michonne is relieved, praying they will find Mike and Lori alive. They continue to move down the path, dispensing walkers as some of them are still feeding, their meal unrecognizable at this point.

Michonne comes to a complete stop as they approach tent number 20. There is a body stretched out in front of the entrance. A body that 3 walkers are still tearing apart and eating. She swallows visibly, swinging her sword as a walker comes at her from in between two tents.

Rick sees the body as well and walks with her slowly. He increases his pace slightly, stabbing two of the walkers from behind. He looks down at the body and regrets it. He has no time to react as he turns to Michonne to prevent her from seeing what he has witnessed.

She looks up at him and shakes her head as the realization hits her. She moves past him, making short work of the last walker as she glances down. It's Mike. His face is still intact, his eyes open and looking up into the night's sky. He is just as handsome as he has always looked to her. Her eyes travel the length of him. His chest, his arms, his stomach, his legs have all been chewed, bitten, torn, eaten, but his face is what she has to concentrate on. Her lips begin to tremble as she tries to fight back her tears. She wants to scream but it won't come.

Rick grabs her, pulling her to him, torn between not wanting her to see this and wanting her to realize that he is gone. He feels her tense up as her emotions war inside.

She shakes her head. "Let…let me go." Once he releases her, she moves back to Mike's body and drops to her knees beside him.

Rick stands by her side, reminding her quietly what she has to do so he won't reanimate, offering to do it for her. He watches as she covers her mouth with her free hand, the tears finally spilling down her cheeks. He drops down to his haunches, saying a silent prayer for his friend.

"I…I need a minute. Please go and find Lori. I'll catch up," she says.

"I'm not leaving you."

"Rick, I'll be ok. I promise. I'm just going to get a few things out of the tent and I'll catch up," she reiterates.

He doesn't argue as he sees more walkers ambling their way. He takes his knife and drives it into Mike's forehead.

Michonne clutches at her stomach, not wanting his beautiful face marred in any way, but she knows they had no choice. She watches as Rick moves off to face the threat and continues looking for Lori. She looks down at Mike one last time, placing a hand over his eyes to close them forever. She stands and moves inside the tent, taking a seat on the cot, heavy with emotion as the tears continue to roll down her cheeks.

She wants so badly to give in to her emotions, but she knows now is not the time. She grabs her backpack from underneath the cot and slowly starts to place items inside. She looks around the tent, wishing the situation could have been different. She takes in an overturned wine bottle, its red contents staining the small wooden table and dripping down to the dirt floor, reminding her of blood. She notices the two glasses which prompts her to look more closely at her surroundings.

A pile of blankets are bunched into a corner that she finds odd as she knows it wasn't there when she left. Her eyes move back to the wine bottle and table and she notices remnants of a marijuana joint. She shakes her head in disbelief, wondering how Mike could even consider getting high at a time like this. She surmises that it doesn't matter now.

She jumps as she could swear the pile of blankets moved in her peripheral vision. She lifts her sword, eyeing the blankets with suspicion. She sets her backpack down and moves over to the blankets, throwing them aside and pointing her sword at the threat she uncovered. She blinks rapidly, not believing her eyes as she recognizes Lori, a practically naked Lori. _Why is she naked in my tent?_

Lori opens her eyes and smiles sadly. "Is that really you Michonne?"

Michonne notices how glassy her eyes are. "Lori, are you ok?" She looks over at the marijuana and the wine and quickly puts two and two together. Her emotional level is so high she is not sure if she has room for anything else at this moment. She moves over to her. "Come on, you need to get dressed. Rick is looking for you."

Lori appears to come fully aware with the mention of her husband's name. "You….you can't tell him. Please."

Michonne looks around and finds Lori's clothes, her shirt, her bra, her jeans. All she is wearing is a pair of underwear and Michonne doesn't want to comprehend what Lori and Mike were doing while she and Rick were on the road, scavenging for supplies to help sustain them and this group. She turns her back as Lori slowly dresses herself.

"He….he saved me, you know. If it wasn't for Mike, I'd be dead too," Lori informs her. "I….could hear what they were doing to him….how he…..I'm sorry."

In that moment, Michonne wants to turn around and run Lori through with her sword, but she realizes it wouldn't solve anything and Rick would hate her for it. _He's all I have now. The last person who might care what happens to me._

"Please don't say anything to Rick. He just….he won't understand," Lori requests.

Michonne turns to face her. "Neither do I." She gasps as she notices the angry red scratch marks covering most of Lori's right arm. "How did you get those scratches?"

"One of those things grabbed me, but Mike fought them off and told me to hide," Lori informs her.

Michonne panics as she is almost sure scratches are just as deadly as bites. She grabs her backpack. "Come on. We have to find Rick."

They walk out of the tent, stepping over Mike's body. Lori covers her mouth as a scream develops at the sight. Michonne keeps walking, moving towards the rear of the camp. She has to turn her back as they come upon Rick and the others and he immediately wraps Lori in his arms and kisses her. She waits to see if Lori will tell him about the scratches or if Rick will notice them first.

The latter wins as he stretches her arm out and asks what happened. She gives him an explanation as Jay moves over to have a look as well.

"She's not going to make it," Jay concludes.

Rick swallows visibly as he had the same thought, but he can't accept it. "No, you're gonna make it. We….we can go to the CDC like we planned. They may have a cure. They can help you."

Michonne turns to look at him, not believing what she is hearing. "You can't go to the city. It's too dangerous."

"I don't have a choice." He takes Lori by the arm and moves down to their tent where he quickly cleans her injuries and wraps her arm as best as he can.

Michonne remains with the others who are trying to figure out what they are going to do. Any survivors they found had to be put down as they wouldn't have lived through the injuries they'd sustained. Jay, Warren, and Steve lost wives and a girlfriend as well as children. There is nothing left for them at the camp. They could try to rebuild but would probably be overrun again before they could fortify the camp and make it as safe as possible.

She looks up as Rick makes his way back to them, Lori close behind.

"We're ready to travel. I'm going to need one of the vehicles," Rick states.

Warren digs in his pocket and removes a single key from a chain. "Take the blue Suburban. Not sure about the gas level and you're welcome to a few of the supplies on the truck and we still have weapons and ammo in the supply tent."

Rick nods, taking the key. "Thank you. I'm grateful. I'll get everything situated and be right back."

Michonne takes a seat with a heavy sigh, glad they are free from the threat if only for a little while. The others engage in conversation around her, trying to piece together exactly what happened. She wants to join them, but can't pull together a coherent thought at the moment. She places her sword on the table and drops her head to her folded arms.

Moments later, she jumps as she feels a hand at her shoulder. It's Rick, asking if she is ok and if he can talk to her. She nods and allows him to lead her to one of the tents. They dart inside and he quickly asks her to take the trip with him.

"I know it's a lot to ask, but I really can't imagine leaving you here…." He wishes she would lift her head so he can see her eyes.

"I….I don't think I have a choice," she answers.

"Of course you do. There's a choice about everythang. We…." He trails off as she finally lifts her head and he can see the tears swimming in her eyes.

"I'm completely alone now. You're all I have left."

Rick pulls her into his arms, her pain so intense he can feel it. "I'll always be here for you. I promise."

She returns his embrace as the tears come and refuse to stop. She clings to him, thankful that he is actually allowing her this time as she didn't realize she needed it until he gave it to her.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

T-Dog and Glenn opted to travel with them much to Michonne's and Rick's relief. They both knew they were going to need all the help they could get. Glenn is driving while T-Dog rides shot gun. Rick is seated in the back seat between Lori and Michonne.

He feels like he has to be there for both of them as they are both dealing with life changing situations.

Lori's fever has only gotten worse, her skin is pale and no matter how much he tries to help cool her down, nothing is working.

Michonne doesn't have the heart to tell him that she is dying. She believes he knows it, but he can't accept it.

They made it only a few miles out before they had to stop and scavenge for more gas. Rick asks Michonne to stay with Lori, but she opts to go with T-Dog and Glenn. They return empty handed, stating they would have to go further out on tomorrow.

Rick tries not to panic as he realizes Lori doesn't have much time. They need to get to Atlanta as soon as possible, but he knows he can't get her there alone and he can't risk the others' lives. They choose to sleep in the truck for the night, someone on watch at all times.

The next morning, Michonne awakes to find Rick and Glenn gone. T-Dog is standing outside of the truck, keeping watch. She looks over at Lori who appears to be sleeping and immediately grabs her sword, preparing to exit the truck. She feels a hand touch her arm.

"Don't go. I…I'm afraid to die alone," Lori tells her.

Michonne knows how she wants to feel towards Lori. She wants to feel sympathy and caring as she knows it is the right thing to do, but reliving the last few days, remembering the accusations and the grief she and Rick suffered at Lori's and Mike's hands makes it difficult. She wonders if that was their first time together or if the affair had been going on for a while. She wants to put these questions to Lori, but realizes it wouldn't change anything.

"I…..I want you….to know….that I forgive you. You and Rick can be….together now," Lori states.

Michonne quells down her anger. "You have nothing to forgive me for because unlike you, I never slept with your husband. I was faithful to Mike and Rick was faithful to you." She jumps as the latter seems to materialize out of thin air, opening her door.

"Morning. How is she?" He asks after Lori.

"Not much improved. Did you find more gas?" Michonne asks.

"No, we're going to have to travel on foot. We're trying to figure out the best way to take as much of these supplies as possible." He grabs his backpack and moves to the rear of the vehicle, Glenn and T-Dog already there.

Michonne joins them as they make quick work of loading up on supplies.

An hour later, they are moving through the woods and Michonne feels as if they are moving in one big circle as they seem to be going nowhere. It's extremely slow going as Rick is trying to keep up with Lori by his side. She has only gotten worse and is slowing down rapidly.

They stop for a short break, a break that Rick needs more than the others. He rests Lori against a tree and moves off for a bathroom break. Glenn keeps watch as T-Dog politely gives Lori some water. Michonne waits for Rick to return and she moves off into the woods as well.

Right as she is zipping up her pants, a loud cry for help sounds through the air. She races back to the others, sure they heard it just as she had and ensuring that they are safe.

"Think we ought to check it out?" Glenn asks.

"Let's go." Michonne unsheathes her sword as she and Glenn sprint off in the direction of the shouts for help. They find an elderly gentleman atop a huge rock, surrounded by walkers.

Glenn and Michonne work seamlessly as they eliminate the 4 or 5 walkers, trying their best to pull the man down from the rock. They look cautiously, making sure no other walkers are ambling about.

"You can come down now," Glenn informs the gentleman. He watches as he climbs down slowly.

"Thank you. I thought those things were going to kill me. You two just saved my life."

"What are you doing out here….alone?" Michonne asks.

"I was looking for my daughters. They left going on a walk and I told them to stay on the property. When they didn't come back at the right time, I knew they had disobeyed me so I came looking for them," the older man explains. "What are y'all doing out here?"

Glenn quickly explains their situation, asking if he can be of any assistance to them.

"Well, I should have some gas there at the farm. You're welcome to some of it. I just can't give up all that I have."

"Whatever you can provide, we'll take," Michonne returns.

"Follow me then. I'm Herschel Greene, by the way."

"I'm Glenn and this is Michonne. Can we just tell our friends where we're going?" Glenn asks.

"Let's bring them along. It's just not safe out here," Herschel states.

Minutes later, they are following Herschel through the woods, making their way to his farm. Michonne has noticed that Rick has been extremely quiet. He hasn't inquired about anything and she finds that odd. Maybe he is just worried about Lori as he should be. She can barely stand, so he finally lifts her over his shoulder and carries her the rest of the way.

They arrive at Herschel's farm where he invites them into his home, leading Rick directly to a guest bedroom, telling him to lay his wife down while they see if there is anything they can do for her.

Michonne takes a seat at the kitchen table with T-Dog and Glenn to await word about Lori. She looks up as Rick emerges from the room quickly and exits the house without a word. She stands looking after him, then turns as Herschel walks out of the bedroom, shaking his head. She covers her mouth as she realizes her friend has just lost his wife.


	5. Chapter 5

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 5)

Michonne is torn between going after Rick and checking to see if he prevented Lori from reanimating. The latter wins out as she believes Rick wasn't in the proper state to carry through with the task. She walks slowly to the bedroom, followed by Herschel, T-Dog, and Glenn.

Despite her short history with Lori, she can't help but feel an acute sadness as she looks upon her pale, ashen complexion. The disease or whatever it was had spread through her veins and turned her into a completely different looking person. Her hair was a dull, mousy looking brown, her eyes were sunken with huge dark circles surrounding them, and her lips were dry and chapped. She hates that Rick's last vision of his wife would be this, but then she remembers her last vision of Mike and realizes she'd take this over what she actually received.

T-Dog observes how Michonne is taking in the sight of Lori and volunteers to put her down. "You don't always have to do the hard stuff. Let me help you."

Michonne nods, appreciating the gesture. "I'll check on Rick." She leaves the three of them with the duty of taking care of Lori and her body.

Two young ladies meet her at the door, both watching her curiously.

"Who are you?" The dark haired one asks.

She assumes they are the two daughters Herschel was initially looking for. "Your dad invited us here. Did you see a tall dark haired guy out there?" Michonne inquires.

"That cute guy? Is he with you? He…."

"Did you see which way he went?" Michonne interrupts, ignoring her questions.

The petite blonde speaks up. "He was heading towards the barn."

Michonne utters a soft thank you as she goes in search of Rick. She finds him leaning against a fence post, his head back, and his eyes closed, tears streaming down his face.

He pops up with the sound of her approach. "I'm fine." He sighs heavily, looking down at his boots. "I knew what was gonna happen."

"It doesn't make it any less painful," she offers.

"Look I know you're dealing with stuff of your own, so you don't have to be here. I can handle it," he tells her.

Michonne nods. "I don't doubt that and I know I don't have to be here, but I want to be. Is that ok?"

Rick wipes his face with both hands and gives her a slight smile. "Thank you."

She goes to stand by his side, reaching over to give his hand a tight squeeze.

He looks down at her hand over his and allows the emotion to rise to the surface as the tears come heavier than before.

Michonne notices immediately and turns her body into his, pulling his head to her shoulder.

Rick wraps his arms around her waist, holding on as if she is his only life line while he cries for his loss.

Hearing his anguish only serves to call forth what she has been suppressing. They continue to embrace each other as they both grieve for what this new world has taken from them.

The next day, they bury Lori underneath a huge oak tree on Herschel's property as he spoke a few words from the good book. For the remainder of the day, they sit around listlessly, wondering what their next step should be. Michonne attempts to talk it over with Rick, but he quickly lets her know that he doesn't have a clue. She decides to take the initiative and asks Herschel if they can stay on his farm for at least a week while they figure something out. She offers their help in any capacity that he needs it and Herschel readily agrees to allow them to stay.

Later that evening, Herschel's daughters, Maggie and Beth, prepared a nice meal for everyone as a welcome to their guests. Michonne, Rick, T-Dog, and Glenn appreciated it more than the Greenes would ever know as they can't remember the last time they had a meal so decent.

Michonne is preparing to follow the others to a small apartment in the rear of Herschel's home when he stops her.

"Just where are you going young lady?" He asks.

"We're retiring for the night. You gave us the little place out back, remember?" She reminds him.

"That's for the men folk. You will not be bedding down with them. You're going to take a guest bedroom here in the house," Herschel tells her.

"That's really not necessary. I'll be fine out back…with them," Michonne returns.

Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog exchange looks as the two go back and forth.

"No arguments. Bethy, Maggie show her to her room while I show the guys out back." Herschel nods to the guys, gesturing for them to follow him.

Rick takes a last look at Michonne and bids her good night before he exits the house with the others.

Michonne turns to Maggie and Beth but before she can ask a question, Maggie speaks up.

"Don't worry about it. Daddy's just old fashioned like that. The guys will have plenty of space back there with two bedrooms. So, do you have an overnight bag or anything?"

Michonne almost laughs at the question as they are honestly treating her like a guest. It makes her wonder if they know what's really going on in the world. She decides that she will have a talk with them and their dad, but later. The past day's events are finally catching up to her as she feels an overwhelming sense of tiredness.

Maggie and Beth are obviously teeming with questions, but notice how tired Michonne appears. They show her the hallway bathroom where she is welcome to shower and even present her with a nice set of pajamas for the night.

Michonne is beyond thankful as she accepts the clothes and disappears into the bathroom after bidding them good night. She lowers the lid on the toilet and takes a seat after placing the clothes on the countertop. She looks around the floral decorated bathroom and just for a moment allows the normalness of it all to take her back to happier times in her life. Of course, that conjures up memories of her mom and dad, their fate still unknown to her and she wonders if she will ever know. The image of Mike when they first met drifts to her and the tears come softly. She cries for the unknown, the uncertainty, what she has lost since the outbreak began and most of all, she cries remembering the betrayal she discovered and the fact that it's bothering her to keep it from Rick.

Meanwhile, Rick is fresh from a shower and trying to get comfortable in the queen-sized bed he can't believe he has all to himself. The other bedroom contained two twin beds and T-Dog and Glenn barely put up a fuss about who would sleep where. They both insisted Rick take the larger bedroom and he was ready to decline, noting the sympathy in their eyes. He didn't want anyone doing him any favors because they felt sorry for him. In the end, he didn't have the energy to argue, so he agreed and bid them a good night.

He can't help but feel guilty as Lori died without ever sleeping in a real bed again. That shouldn't matter so much to him, but it does. A lot of things shouldn't matter to him right now, especially after what she revealed to him before she died. A part of him wants to hate her, but realizing that she is gone and he will never see her again, makes the hate feel misplaced somehow. He wonders if he will ever be able to tell Michonne the truth, then quickly surmises that it's best if she never knows. He doesn't want to hurt her or distort her memory of Mike.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

One week turns into three as the four of them remain on Herschel's farm. Michonne has taken to shadowing Maggie and Beth, learning all that she can about farm work while informing them of the way the world has changed. She normally waits until the afternoon to ask questions and learn what she can from Herschel. By that time, he has given his instructions and demonstrations to the guys and they are busy with their tasks for the remainder of the day.

She doesn't want to admit it to herself, but she has been avoiding Rick. They take their meals together and continue to engage each other, but she is always sure they are never alone. She feels if they are alone, their conversation will somehow steer to their kindred loss. Acknowledging the loss and the pain will only make her think of Mike and him of Lori and she wants to evade that topic at all costs. She can't take the risk of revealing what she knows, so it's better if she just avoids him altogether.

Rick notices but concludes that she is just grieving and needs her space. A part of him is relieved because he hates feeling like he is deceiving her. It makes him want to tell her what he knows, but he refrains. He also needs to stay away because his thoughts about her are starting to take an unexpected shift.

The hour is late and Rick can't sleep. He sits on the wooden rail of the small apartment's porch and sips on a bottle of whiskey Herschel gave to him right after he buried Lori. The older man told him his nights would be restless and the liquor would soothe him. He also shared how he lost his wife. Rick didn't believe Herschel knew what he was talking about, but his wisdom rings true tonight. Working from almost sun up to sun down has exhausted Rick night after night and he has been sleeping soundly for the past two weeks. He's not sure why that has changed suddenly, but he hopes a few sips of the whiskey will remedy that problem.

The sound of the screen door at the main house propels him to a stand as he slowly walks toward the front of the house to see who is out and about this time of night. He is surprised to see Michonne walking towards the barn. It's dark out but he has memorized her walk, her shape, and he can just make out the off white hilt of her sword at her back. He lifts the bottle to his lips once again and follows her as the warm liquor travels through his body.

Michonne makes her way quietly to the barn, moving inside to climb the ladder up to the hay loft. She sits in the open doorway, admiring the night's sky and trying not to think past what tomorrow may bring. She honestly wants to take it one day at a time. She tried to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes, images of Mike would surface and she refuses to deal with that right now.

She jumps as she hears a noise behind her and moves to a stand to face the threat. She visibly relaxes when she sees that it's only Rick stepping away from the ladder with a bottle in his hand. "What are you doing?"

"Wondering what you're doing up here all by yourself," he returns.

"I meant with that bottle." She watches as he looks down at it in his hand like he forgot it was there.

"Oh, I couldn't sleep, so I thought this would help. Herschel said it would, but I think I'm done. You're welcome to it," he offers.

"Is it any good?" She asks.

Rick scoffs. "Well, I'm no expert but it tastes pretty good." He hands the bottle to her and watches as she takes a tentative sip.

She coughs as the fiery liquid travels down her throat. "Either that's way too strong for me or it's been too long since I had a drink."

He politely takes the bottle, replacing the cap. "It's probably a little bit of both." He walks over to the loft opening and takes a look over the land. "So what are you doing up here?"

"I just needed to get out for a bit. I couldn't sleep, so I came up here where it's nice and peaceful," she acknowledges.

Rick takes a seat, allowing his legs to hang over the ledge. "It is peaceful, isn't it?"

Michonne moves to take a seat by his side. "So are we just going to stay here indefinitely? I keep thinking we should have a plan B just in case."

He turns to her, but quickly looks away when her eyes meet his. "Well, every time I think about going back out there, I cringe. I know you're right. We need a plan, but it's been good here. We haven't seen a walker in almost a month. You don't think we can make this work?"

"Maybe…..but….I feel like I'm waiting for something. I don't know if that's good or bad and I don't want to relax. I find myself relaxing a little and I don't like it," she admits. "Things happen when you let your guard down."

"Things are gonna happen whether we let our guard down or not," he states.

Michonne can't help wondering if his words hold a deeper meaning, if somehow he is referring to what happened at the camp despite everything they did to prevent it. Whatever he means she doesn't like the direction of this conversation. She stands. "I think I'm ready for bed now. I'll see you in the morning."

Rick stands to face her. "So that's your solution? Avoid me? Avoid talking about it?"

"Why do we have to talk about it?"

"Because it helps to talk about it. We can't pretend it didn't happen. I don't want to pretend it didn't happen. I have all these feelings warring around inside of me, but the one person I thought I could share that with would rather ignore me," he admonishes.

"Don't put that on me. It's my choice and if I don't want to talk about it, I don't have to. You deal with it your way and I'll deal with it my way," she returns.

"Denying that it happened is not dealing with it," he reminds her.

"What do you want from me? You want me to walk around moping for my dead boyfriend? Well, I'm not going to do that. He's dead and nothing I do is going to change that fact. We just have to accept what is, Rick." She turns her back on him as the tears start to fall. _Dammit._

Rick drops his head in frustration. His intent was not to upset her. He just wants them to be able to share their feelings. He knows she will understand better than anyone and he doesn't have anyone else to talk to. _Hell, I don't want to talk to anyone else._

He walks up behind her, placing his hands at her shoulders. He turns her to face him, raising a thumb to gently wipe the tears away. "I'm sorry. I'm being selfish. If you don't want to talk, that's fine. I'll just wait until you do."

She steps closer to him and drops her forehead to his shoulder as she wraps her arms around his waist. She sighs as he returns her embrace and rubs her back softly. "I'm sorry. I want to give you what you need, but…."

"It's ok. I understand." He continues to hold her, closing his eyes as he breathes in the light, flowery scent of her hair. He wonders what kind of shampoo she used. He seems more aware of her body, something he has taken note of but never allowed himself to appreciate. Her breasts feel full pressed against his chest and he remembers how ample and perky they looked when he first met her. He won't allow himself to think of any other part of her anatomy as he wants to remain in control of his body.

At the same time, Michonne is more aware of Rick's body than she has ever been. His chest pressed against hers is wide and solid. She allows her hands to travel up his back, offering him comfort just as he is offering it to her. She doesn't want to but she can't help remembering his hands on her breasts the first night they met. It was inconsequential and meant nothing, but she remembers it vividly. _Why would this come up now?_

She gasps as he nuzzles her neck, softly. The graze of his stubble excites her and she wants to rub her face against his, if only to get closer.

Rick can't believe how soft and smooth her skin is. He has an overwhelming desire to latch on and suckle whatever part of her he can get to. He takes a chance and moves his mouth to her neck, placing a soft kiss against her. From there, he moves up to her cheek, placing one kiss, then two making his way to her mouth.

Michonne never realized how much she wanted to kiss him until that exact moment. She wants to taste him, but it's too soon. He's her friend and this shouldn't happen between them. She drops her head and takes a step back. "No, we shouldn't do this. We'd be doing the same thing they did."

Rick continues to hold her by the waist. "What are you talking about?"

She looks up at him with sad brown eyes, then jerks her head to the left. "Rick, I think I just saw a light in those trees."

He sighs. "What trees?"

She turns him around to look out of the loft opening and points in the direction where she may have seen a light. "There. I know I saw something."

The two of them watch and wait and only seconds later, a light is shining among the trees.

"Shit. Looks like it might be someone with a flashlight. Let's go," he tells her.

They both race for the ladder, Rick going down first.

"Did it look like they were on the property?" Michonne asks as she follows him down.

"That's exactly what it looks like." He jumps to the ground, skipping the last 3 rungs of the ladder and instinctively grabs Michonne by the waist, helping her to the ground safely.

They take the time to wake and warn T-Dog and Glenn, telling them to alert Herschel and his daughters.

"You two aren't going out there alone? We'll back you up. Just hold on," Glenn tells them.

"No time. They could be on their way to the house. If I have to fire my gun, then you'll know what you have to do," Rick states as he and Michonne prepare to meet the threat.

He unholsters his gun as she unsheathes her katana and they move in unison towards the tree line.


	6. Chapter 6

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 6)

They hear the voices before they can see actual people. Michonne quickly hides behind a tree, followed closely by Rick. They are able to make out at least 5 people, two women and three men. Two of the men are carrying the third one who appears to be hurt. The women are walking in front, carrying flashlights and guiding their way through the dark.

Rick drops down to his haunches, signaling for Michonne to wait while he confronts them. He narrows his eyes as he sees her shaking her head no. He waits until the group has passed them and they are at their backs. He holds a hand up as a gesture for Michonne to wait, pulls the hammer back on his python and steps away from the trees.

"Stop right there and put your hands up," he announces.

The five of them freeze and slowly turn around to face Rick.

The two men slowly lower the injured man to the ground, raising their hands. The women follow suit and raise their hands as well, still holding the flashlights.

The tall, muscular man says, "We don't want any trouble. We met a guy some miles back. Said his name was Otis and that Herschel Greene could help our friend here. I think he broke his leg."

"You got any weapons on you?" Rick asks.

"I've got a hand gun but it's not loaded. We ran out of bullets a week ago."

"I'm going to have to ask you to toss your weapons to me." Rick doesn't feel comfortable as he can barely make out their faces. The flashlights are giving off minimal light in the dark, but he is grateful for it.

"Fine, but please tell us if we're heading in the right direction," a tall brunette implores.

Unbeknownst to Rick, one of the women is going for a gun at her back. Before she can pull it out, the sound of rifles being cocked fills the air. Glenn and T-Dog walk up behind the group, backing up Rick and Michonne at Herschel's bidding.

"Don't move!" T-Dog orders.

Michonne slowly makes her way out of the trees and approaches the group to relieve them of their weapons.

"Are you Herschel Greene?" The brunette asks Rick.

"We'll take you to him. It'll be his decision whether he helps you or not," Rick tells the group.

An hour later, Herschel has set Allen's leg and agrees to allow him and his wife Donna to remain together in one of the downstairs bedrooms. He wishes he could offer the same to the other three (Sasha, Tyreese, and Daryl) but Rick warned him not to be too trusting.

"You say Otis sent you to me?" Herschel asks Tyreese.

"Yeah, he and his wife said they were looking for some family members when they ran upon us. A bunch of those things came of out nowhere, so we had to run. I'm not sure what happened to them, but he helped us," Tyreese answers.

"Your friend says he fell in some kind of hole out there, but I saw red marks that look like scratches. Is that what happened?" Herschel inquires.

"He wasn't attacked if that's what you're thinking. That hole had tree roots all in it, so I think that's how he got the scratches. It took all of us to pull him out," Sasha explains.

"Well, I can't say how long you can stay here. I've done what I can for Allen and I can offer you my barn for the night. Anything else will have to be discussed later." Herschel nods at Glenn and T-Dog, an indication to show them to the barn.

"Thank you, sir. We really appreciate it. We've been out there for weeks and it's just not safe," Tyreese says.

Beth and Maggie hand Sasha and Daryl some food, water, and blankets before Glenn and T-Dog show them outside to the barn.

Michonne, Rick, and Herschel move towards the back of the house to discuss the newcomers.

"We should be cautious, so I'll keep watch for the night," Michonne offers.

"No, I'll take care of it. You get some rest," Rick returns.

"You need rest, too….." Michonne opposes, but Herschel cuts her off.

"Why don't you both take watch and not fuss about it?" He gives a small smile as that seems to render them both speechless.

"I'm pretty shot myself, so we'll get more information from our guests in the morning. You two have fun." Herschel nods as he leaves the two alone, moving up the stairs to his bedroom. Maggie and Beth soon follow.

"I'll let Glenn and T-Dog know what we're doing. One of them might need to keep an eye on the barn tonight," Rick tells Michonne.

She agrees with a nod as the two of them walk out of the house.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Two days later, the newcomers are still there and Herschel has easily put all of them to work except for Allen. Rick is still leery but Herschel grilled them to his satisfaction and is willing to give them a chance. They couldn't be too bad if Otis decided to help them and he knows Otis can be a pretty good judge of character. He hopes his neighbor/friend and his wife are still alive and will make their way back to their home soon.

The twelve of them are having dinner together and making small talk.

"So, are you two married?" Beth asks of Sasha and Daryl.

Sasha laughs. "Does almost count? The outbreak happened a week before our wedding. Talk about bad luck, huh?"

Daryl bumps her shoulder with his. "We'll still get married. Just don't know when or where."

"That's awful. Pastor Watts lives just down the road, but…..I don't know if he's still alive or not," Beth admits sadly.

"Hey. Getting married is the least of our problems now. We're just trying to stay alive," Daryl says.

"I know. I just thought it'd be nice to have a wedding," Beth returns.

"Are y'all from Atlanta?" Maggie asks.

"Yeah, but Sasha and I moved from Jacksonville, FL a little over a year ago," Tyreese answers.

Sasha looks to Michonne. "So, what's your story? How did you find Herschel's farm?"

"Well, that's a short and sweet story. They saved my life. Pure and simple, so I'm indebted to them," Herschel explains.

Michonne looks at him with gratitude as she wasn't too keen on answering any questions.

The others continue to talk throughout dinner, but Rick and Michonne remain quiet and observant.

Much later, Michonne steals off to her room having had enough socializing. Everybody keeps asking questions about her and she just wasn't in the mood to answer them. Her mind keeps drifting to how safe they are on the farm. She just feels like they should be doing more to secure the fence lines. Just because they haven't seen any walkers doesn't mean they aren't there. She knows she needs to discuss this with Rick, but after their encounter in the barn, she realizes she'd better keep her distance.

She turns around to close the door and nearly jumps out of her skin as Rick is standing in the doorway. "Do you deliberately sneak up on me?"

"Not my fault you didn't hear me," he returns. "So, you're not going to say good night?"

"I'm not going to bed just yet. I was going to read a little first, so I will be sure and tell you good night when I'm ready for bed," she promises.

"Well, maybe I should take in a little reading, too." He pushes the door open wider and enters her room. Turning to face her, he asks, "What do you have that's good and suspenseful? I don't want any of that romance stuff you read."

Michonne rolls her eyes as she places her katana on the bed and moves over to the night stand. She thumbs through the four or five books Maggie loaned her and grabs a murder mystery.

Walking back to him, she offers the book with a smile. "Here ya go. You should enjoy this one."

Rick takes the book. "Thanks." He walks over to the plush armchair in the corner and takes a seat, reading the synopsis on the back of the book with interest.

"Um….what are you doing?" Michonne asks.

"Taking in a little reading," he answers.

She narrows her eyes as she considers kicking him out, then decides against it as she moves over to her bed, grabs a book and tries to pick up where she left off the night before.

Her concentration is non-existent as she couldn't tell you what was happening in her novel if she wanted to. She keeps glancing over at Rick, keeping her eyes downcast so he doesn't realize she's looking at him. Every few seconds, she glances his way, her eyes moving higher each time until she arrives at his face and realizes he is staring right back at her.

"Why aren't you reading?" She demands.

Rick smiles. "Why aren't you reading?"

"I am. I…."

Herschel appears in the open doorway. "Here you are. I was wondering about you two." He notates the open door with appreciation as he looks at them, wondering how they are going to handle the glaringly clear feelings they are developing for each other. He can't imagine the tug of war they must be experiencing as they both just lost loved ones and probably don't understand why they would be attracted to someone else so soon.

"I just spoke with Glenn about some supplies we need and he said he'd be willing to go into town for us. I don't agree with it, but Maggie offered to lead the way for him. I'd feel a whole lot better if one of you went with them." They both open their mouths to speak up. "Now before you start fussing over who's gonna go, I want the two of you to actually discuss it."

He steps into the room and closes the door quietly. "We're still feeling these people out, so maybe one of you should stay here for safe keeping."

They actually accept Herschel's advice and discuss who should go on the run. Michonne doesn't like it but she agrees to stay behind as Rick will ask Sasha, Daryl, and Tyreese to join him. He thinks they may be able to load up on weapons and ammo and find out how far their abandoned vehicle is to check it for the supplies they had to leave behind.

The next day, Michonne is growing restless while the others are gone, so she decides to do a little exploring, checking the fence lines while she is out. Some areas, mainly where the cows graze have steel fence rails while other areas are wooden. She would feel more comfortable with the steel, but wonders where they would get the rails and posts to erect. She makes a mental note to talk to Herschel about it.

Just as she is about to start making her way back to the house, she hears some rustling and growling amongst the trees. She looks in the direction of the house, knowing she should return, but curiosity and a drive to eliminate any oncoming threat propels her to climb over the fence and enter the woods. She notices at least 6 walkers spread out and rambling aimlessly. She unsheathes her sword and makes quick work of the corpses.

She walks back to the house slowly, not realizing how long she had been gone.

Rick has returned and is walking down the steps to meet her. The closer he gets, the deeper his frown grows as he takes in the splatters of blood on her clothes and the blood on her sword. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I had to take down a few walkers," she informs.

He instinctively reaches for his gun. "They're on the property? Show me." He is about to rush off when Michonne stops him.

"They weren't on the property. They were in the woods a little beyond the fence line," she explains.

"So, how did you…." He trails off as the realization of what she has done comes to him. "You mean to tell me you climbed the fence and went into the woods alone?"

Hearing Rick say it out loud takes on a different meaning and she realizes how risky the endeavor was even if she has done it before while at the camp.

"There were only 6 of them and I needed to take care of them before they reached the fence." She speaks hurriedly in an effort to get Rick to understand.

He steps back and gives her a look she has never seen from him before. At least, not directed at her. He places his hands at his waist and opens his mouth to speak, then closes it with a shake of his head and walks off.

Michonne is not sure how to feel in that moment. She can tell Rick is upset, but this is all new. _He's never been mad at me before._ She can usually handle most anything, but Rick being mad because of her is most unsettling. She's not sure if she should go after him and apologize or give him some time to cool off.

She continues on to the house, noticing that they were able to get the blue Suburban to the farm. She hopes the supplies were still intact. She sees Glenn and asks if he needs any help unloading.

Maggie appears by his side. "We've got it. Thanks."

She nods and turns toward the house.

Rick rounds the corner, donning his work gloves and walks right past her without even glancing her way.

She sighs deeply and changes direction, walking towards the barn instead, hoping she can get a little more solitude. She climbs the ladder, already anticipating the peacefulness of the loft. She freezes as she takes in the scene before her. Tyreese and Donna are locked in a tight embrace, kissing each other passionately.

Michonne can't get down the ladder quick enough, almost hurting herself in her haste. _What is wrong with everyone?_ She makes her way to her room, closing the door soundly.

Later that night, Michonne realizes she has to make amends as Rick hasn't appeared for dinner. Maggie prepares a plate for him and Beth was about to deliver it to him when Michonne offers to take care of the task.

She makes her way slowly to the small apartment and knocks on the door.

Rick answers the door in a t-shirt and pajama bottoms.

"Maggie and Beth thought you'd appreciate some dinner." She steps back as he opens the screen door, allowing her inside.

She places the plate on the small kitchen table and turns to him. "I….came to apologize. I'm sorry if I upset you. I just didn't think."

"No, you didn't." He steps to her, invading her space.

Michonne tries to back away only to encounter the table. She swallows nervously as Rick isn't allowing her any room to maneuver around him.

"After everything we've been through, I can't believe you'd do something so reckless. What if something had happened to you?" He demands.

She keeps her eyes downcast. "It didn't. I was fine." She gasps as he lifts her chin with a finger.

"Don't ever do that again. From here on out, no one goes off alone. It's too risky," he tells her.

She looks into his eyes, his concern evident. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

He steps back as he drops his hand to his side. "See that it doesn't."

Michonne is disappointed and relieved all at the same time. Disappointed because she thought he was going to kiss her and she really wanted him to and relieved because she thought he was going to kiss her and she didn't want him to.

"Was there something else you needed?" He asks.

Michonne scoffs in disbelief. "You're still upset even after I apologized?"

They both jump as a scream fills the quiet night.

"I think it came from the house," Rick determines as he grabs his gun belt, racing behind Michonne.

They burst into the house to find Allen pointing a gun at Tyreese.

"You think I'm stupid?! You think I don't know what's been going on ever since you saved her life?!" Allen demands.

"Allen, please. It's not what you think," Donna implores.

"Shut up! You've been following him around like a lost puppy for weeks! Did you forget you were married, that I was still here?! We lost our son that day and you act like you don't even care!" Allen's eyes fill with tears as he remembers their son, Ben, and the way he died.

"Allen, we can work this out. I was just in the right place at the right time when I helped Donna. You could've done the same thing," Tyreese tells him cautiously.

T-Dog and Glenn share a look, trying to determine if one of them can ease behind Allen and bring him down.

Herschel looks to his daughters, the two of them holding each other, shaking with fear.

"Please don't do this. Donna would never hurt you, Allen. You know that." Sasha tries to reason with him.

"Then tell me why she's doing it. Tell me why she's fucking your brother behind my back?!" Allen exclaims, still pointing the gun at Tyreese. He looks over at Donna. "I took you in when that no good boyfriend of yours was beating your ass. I raised Ben like he was my own and this is how you repay me?"

Rick and Michonne share a look, wondering how they can diffuse the situation.

Donna's eyes begin to fill with tears as she realizes how much pain she has caused her husband. She thought she was being discreet. "I'm sorry, Allen. I never meant to hurt you."

Allen frowns as he realizes his wife is admitting her wrongdoing. He knew it but to see it in her eyes, written on all over her face just slams into him and makes him snap. "Well, I hope you're happy."

Glenn was about to make a grab for the gun when Allen puts it to his head and pulls the trigger.


	7. Chapter 7

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 7)

The entire room is silent as time seemingly comes to a complete stop. Everyone is immobile, glued to their spot, unable to believe what their eyes just witnessed. T-Dog is covered in blood and fragments as he was standing in Allen's vicinity.

Rick is the first to recover as he turns to Michonne, cupping her face in his hands in an attempt to bring her back to him. She is obviously dazed. He watches as the tears come to her eyes and he can see the questions there. "Hey. Take a breath out on the porch. I'll be there shortly."

Hearing Rick's voice and detecting some motion brings Glenn back to the present and he goes over to examine Allen, not sure if he should hope the man is still alive or not.

Rick watches as Michonne disappears onto the porch, then looks to Glenn and Allen. He sighs as Glenn shakes his head, confirming that Allen is dead.

Donna drops to her knees, witnessing Glenn's determination of Allen's fate. Her breathing is labored as she whispers no over and over again. Her whispers soon grow louder and she quickly morphs into hysterical screams.

Tyreese, Sasha, and Daryl spring into action as the former quickly goes to Donna's side trying to calm her down. Sasha watches as Daryl grabs a throw off a nearby sofa and tosses it over Allen's body.

Herschel quickly sends his daughters out of the room, telling them he would come for them shortly. He instructs Tyreese to cover Donna's mouth and bring her to the back room where he can give her a sedative.

Tyreese does as instructed and Herschel follows them quickly.

The others wrap Allen's body with sheets and move him out of the house, traveling to the barn.

Rick walks out to the porch, expecting to see Michonne only she's not there. He frowns as he goes in search of her. He didn't see her enter the house again, so he wonders where she could be. He is even more perplexed as a quick walk around the house yields nothing. He moves to the apartment about to grab a flashlight as it looks like he's going to have go further out searching for her.

He rushes into his bedroom only to pull up short. She is there, sitting on his bed, her head down. He releases a breath, so relieved to see her. "Hey."

She looks up at him, her eyes red from crying. "I…I've been keeping something from you and it's really starting to eat away at me. Secrets….secrets can kill or rather drive people to kill themselves."

Rick frowns as he is not sure he is understanding what Michonne is trying to say. He remains quiet, allowing her to get whatever it is off her chest.

"I saw….Tyreese and Donna. I saw them in the barn, so I knew, but I didn't say anything. I guess it wasn't my place to say anything. Would it have made a difference if I had?"

She appears to be talking to herself Rick surmises, but she shakes her head and moves on. "Mike was….cheating on me….and he was cheating on me with Lori."

Rick's eyes pop as he had absolutely no idea that Michonne knew about that. Before he can utter a word, she continues.

"I'm sorry I kept that from you. I just didn't want you to think ill of her now that she's gone." She looks down like she can't continue to hold his gaze. "I don't know how or when it started. That night….when Mike died, Lori was…."

"Michonne, stop. You don't have to tell me this."

"I do. I need to tell you. I'm tired of trying to avoid you. I'm tired of keeping this secret buried inside me. I'm tired of being considerate of others when they never….never considered me or my feelings." The anger she has tried to suppress finally makes its presence known. "He looked me in my eye and accused me over and over again of sleeping with you. I walked away from our friendship for him and he was the one fooling around. How could he do that after everything we had been through together?" She sighs. "I feel so stupid. I was faithful, I was loyal, but I didn't have to be. I had chances, opportunities, but I loved him."

She wipes the tears from her eyes. "I guess he never loved me like I loved him." She scoffs. "Wow! He still has the power to hurt me and he's not even here anymore."

Rick moves to sit beside her, quickly taking her into his arms. "Mike loved you. Just like Lori loved me. They just….they had issues and maybe being together helped them to work those issues out or maybe it was just pure selfishness. I don't know, but we can't change what they did. We just have to accept what is. Didn't you tell me that?"

She nods. "Can you forgive me for not telling you?"

"I knew, Michonne. Lori told me before she died," Rick admits.

She looks to him, but doesn't have to ask. She knows why he didn't tell her just as he knows why she didn't tell him. "Witnessing what Allen did to himself because of his wife's unfaithfulness just made me reconsider everything. That quick thrill or whatever it is they experience cannot be worth all this aggravation and grief." A thought comes to her and she has to know. It's important, now more than ever. "Have you ever cheated?"

"Never," Rick returns. "You?"

"No, but I thought about it…..once," she admits.

"Really? Who was the guy?"

"That's not important anymore." She looks up to the ceiling and exhales. "What are we doing here, Rick? Is this all we have to look forward to? Death?"

"No, of course not." He swallows visibly, hoping he can give her the answer she seeks. "We can build a life here. This place has barely been touched by the ugliness outside."

"But there's ugliness inside." She looks at him pointedly. "I want to see the beauty in the world again. I want to feel something other than despair or worry." Her eyes drop to his mouth and for the moment she allows herself to imagine what it would feel like to kiss him.

Rick recognizes the need immediately because it pulls at him as well, but he knows she's emotional right now. Tonight's tragedy has put her in a vulnerable state and he knows he can't take advantage of it no matter how tempting she is. He stands up quickly and moves over to the dresser, pulling open a drawer.

"Look what I found with our supplies." He holds up a deck of cards with a questioning smile.

For a split second, she almost gives in to the thought of rejection, but she quells it quickly knowing that is not the type of guy Rick is. He respects her and doesn't want her to regret her actions. No matter what, he is always looking out for her. She smiles. "So, what are we playing?"

Hours later, Michonne is awakened by a distraught Rick. She is surprised they actually fell asleep after everything they had witnessed. She looks over at him, his body is shaking, his eyes are moving frantically beneath closed lids, his breathing is rapid, and his lips are moving as if he is trying to say something. It's obvious he is in the throes of a bad dream. Her heart goes out to him as she gently pushes at his shoulder, trying to wake him up.

"Rick? Rick, wake up," she implores. She finally grips his shoulder strongly and shakes him a bit harder.

He pops up, inhaling deeply. He takes in his surroundings and looks to Michonne anxiously. "Michonne? You're here? You're ok?"

She nods, then gasps as he grabs her into his arms, burying his face in her neck. She returns the hug, wondering what he was dreaming about. "Rick, are you ok?"

He pulls back with a sigh of relief. "It was a dream….just a dream."

"What was?" She asks.

"Lori….it was Lori. She was….not herself and I tried….I tried to put her down, but…..I couldn't do it and then….she…..she got to you somehow…..and I was too late and you….." He grabs her to him again. "I can't let anything happen to you….not you."

"It was just a dream. We're fine," she assures him. "We're fine."

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

They buried Allen the next day and fell back into the routine of day to day operations on the farm. Rick is in a driven and determined mood as he works tirelessly to secure the fence lines with the help of Herschel, Tyreese, Glenn, T-Dog, and Daryl. Michonne asked to help but he convinced her to spend time with Beth, Maggie, Donna, and Sasha and to ensure that they are able to defend themselves against walkers.

Sasha proves to be the most proficient out of the four of them, so Michonne enlists her help. The two of them team up to instruct Beth, Maggie, and Donna. Their friendship grows as Michonne offers to give Sasha lessons with her katana and Sasha offers to give Michonne gun lessons as soon as they locate some silencers.

The five of them are in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Michonne feels a bit out of her element as she hasn't prepared an actual meal in an actual kitchen in months. She finds herself longing to be outside helping the men, but realizes she misses female companionship as well.

"So Michonne, what's the deal with you and Rick?" Donna asks.

"What do you mean?" Michonne returns.

"Are you two an item or something?" Donna continues slicing up vegetables, feigning a slight interest, but she is anxious for Michonne's answer. She has noticed how Rick steps in and takes charge and she admires that about him. Her tryst with Tyreese reminds her of what drove Allen to snap and she just can't be with him anymore.

"Why so curious Donna?" Sasha asks innocently.

"Just making conversation," Donna supplies.

"You want conversation?" Maggie asks. "How about we found out Michonne was one of those socialite types we used to read about in the magazines our mom used to get featuring Atlanta?"

Beth's eyes light up with excitement. "Yeah, she was this big time lawyer and drove a….."

"Beth, I'm sure no one wants to hear about that." Michonne attempts to end the talk about her. It's a bit embarrassing as she still can't get over Beth's and Maggie's awe.

"But it's like having a celebrity right here in our house. Mama loved those magazines and couldn't wait for the latest issue every month," Beth gushes.

"Yeah, but that life is over now. Has been for a while," Michonne reminds them.

"Nothing wrong with remembering the good times," Sasha inputs.

The good times are soon forgotten as Glenn bursts into the house. "Michonne, Sasha we need some help."

Maggie perks up. "Is it walkers? I can help too."

The three of them follow Glenn out of the house, leaving Beth and Donna to handle dinner.

A cluster of walkers was discovered and Rick wanted all of them on hand to take care of the threat as proficiently as possible. They all work together and dispatch the walkers quickly. Maggie suggests setting some traps in the woods before the walkers can even make it to the fence line.

"This place is too huge for that. Besides, we probably don't have enough supplies," Glenn returns.

"Well, I know we can't put them all over, but maybe just in the places where we've located walkers." Maggie looks to her Dad. "We can start right here and just start taking note where they're coming from."

Herschel nods. "I think it's a good idea. We've got to start doing something. I've never seen this many so close to us before. Are we doing something to attract them?"

"Who can tell with those things? We're just going to do what we have to do to protect this place and try to keep it," T-Dog informs.

"Well, I certainly appreciate it." Herschel looks to Rick to get his opinion.

"Sounds like a good idea to me. We'll get started with those traps first thing in the morning."

Later that night at dinner, Michonne can't help but notice how often Donna defers to Rick about a certain topic or how most of her questions are directed at him. Tyreese appears to notice as well, but remains quiet.

Rick gives her short, curt answers, not really paying her much attention. His thoughts are on Michonne as he realizes they haven't spent much time together as of late. That issue lies with him as the dream he had continues to recur and scares the crap out of him. He is determined to make this place safe and do everything within his power to keep her alive. He refuses to imagine his life without her. Those feelings overwhelmed him and he needed to step back before he acted out of desperation and caused irrevocable damage to their friendship.

He glances over at her, willing her to glance back. When she does, he gives her a nod and a smile, hoping she will be receptive to them taking in some reading in her room.

Michonne is unsure of what is going on with Rick. Ever since that night he had the bad dream, he has seemed a little distant. She thought they were on their way to acknowledging something between them, but maybe it's still too soon. She puts it out of her mind, but can't help wondering if maybe he has interests elsewhere.

After dinner, she moves off to her room, deciding not to engage in idle talk with the others as before. She is surprised to see Rick following her. She turns in the doorway to face him. "Did you need something? I'm going to bed now."

"Oh, I just thought maybe you'd like to take in some reading before bed," Rick suggests.

She thinks it over and wants more than anything to say yes. "No. Not tonight."

Rick can't hide his disappointment. He purses his lips and nods slowly, backing away from the door. "Well, good night then."

"Good night." Michonne watches as he disappears down the hallway before quietly closing her door. She sits down on her bed and wonders if she made the right decision. She knows they are walking a fine line, but they are two adults in control of their emotions and nothing will happen unless they both want it to. Her problem is that the more she thinks about it, the more she is sure she wants something to happen. Spending time with him will only flame that fire and how can she fight it if she continues to allow it to grow?

Meanwhile, Rick is walking to his apartment. He is looking forward to a little solitude away from Glenn and T-Dog, but wishes he was spending some time with Michonne. He can't help feeling that he made a mistake somehow trying to avoid her. He's just unsure how to navigate through these feelings of his.

He smiles to himself as he remembers Glenn telling him that he and Maggie were going to take a walk out by the lake, happy their relationship seems to be blooming. T-Dog is planning on playing cards with Tyreese, Sasha, Daryl, and Beth. He's not sure what Herschel and Donna were planning to do with their time. He is glad that everyone is getting along so well. He sighs as his mind drifts to Michonne once again. Maybe it's time the two of them have a serious talk.

He is in his room, preparing for a shower when there is a knock at the door. He smiles, immediately thinking it has to be Michonne. He can't get to the door fast enough, his smile wide, his eyes dancing. He opens the door, about to greet her and falters to a stop. It's not Michonne at the door. It's Donna.

Michonne decides to throw caution to the wind and opts to go to Rick's apartment. She surmises that she can still be his friend and put her feelings aside. It's for the best, but she can't help wanting to spend time with him. She smiles to herself, feeling lighter as she has made a decision about her relationship with Rick. It's not the decision she wanted to make, but it will do for right now.

She rounds the corner of the house, trying not to skip as she makes her way to the apartment. She comes up short as she looks up and notices Rick and Donna in his doorway. Donna is standing awfully close to him and appears to be smiling up at him. They are talking, but Michonne can't make out exactly what is being said. Rick shakes his head and steps back only to have Donna reach out and grasp his belt.

Michonne gasps before she knows it, bringing Rick's and Donna's attention to her. Donna smiles as Michonne turns on her heel and marches away.

Rick curses as he pushes past Donna and attempts to go after Michonne. Donna rushes to move in front of him.

"Hey. I didn't think there was anything going on with her. Have you two been sneaking around?" Donna asks.

Rick can't believe the audacity of this woman. Her husband killed himself because she was fooling around with Tyreese and she just invited herself into his bed. "That's really none of your business. Excuse me."

He catches up to Michonne just as she entered the barn. He steps in front of her. "Hey. Nothing was going on back there."

Michonne shakes her head. "You don't owe me any explanations. If that's what you want, then have at it." She tries to move around him, but Rick won't allow it.

"I do not want Donna. I don't know what that woman's problem is, but she needs help." He looks down at Michonne. "There is only one woman I want in my life and that's you, Michonne. I want you."

Her heart races even faster with Rick's declaration. She is rendered speechless as she can't seem to form any thoughts. The panic sets in and she turns away from him, preparing to practically run out of the barn.

He grabs her by the waist, turning her back to face him. He notices the panic in her eyes as she searches his face. He loves the feel of her in his arms as his eyes zero in on her lips. He drops his head down a fraction, loosening his hold just to see if she will move away from him. When she doesn't, he drops down even further. He can feel her breath on him as they are less than an inch apart.

Her eyes drift down to his lips and for the second time that night, she throws caution to the wind and closes the distance between them.


	8. Chapter 8

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 8)

Michonne closes the distance between them, connecting their lips soundly. His lips are softer than she anticipated and she can't believe this is finally happening. She feels light and delicate with his arms around her waist, his hold familiar and new at the same time. He opens his mouth over hers, pushing his tongue inside for a better taste. She moans as she accepts him, throwing her arms around his neck, holding him close.

Rick shudders as his heart beats in overdrive, his excitement growing as their kiss deepens. He knew kissing her would be surreal but this goes beyond anything he ever imagined. Their tongues collide over and over again as they take their time, exploring each other. Tasting her in this way only makes him crave more. He breaks away to place soft kisses along her cheek, moving down to her neck where he suckles her gently.

She has never been so turned on so quickly. Her body floods with passion and all she can think about is getting him into bed. She moves her hands down to his back, caressing him softly. She was just about to lift his shirt as she wants to touch his bare skin so badly.

"Damn. I hope you save a little bit of that for me."

They both jump as the voice startles them. Rick lifts his head, looking toward the doorway. Michonne turns to face that direction. Donna stands there with her arms folded across her chest, a slight smirk on her face.

Michonne realizes that any sympathy she felt for this woman was wasted as she didn't deserve it. She can't possibly be sorry for driving her husband to kill himself. This is just proof that you can never be sure about anyone. "I'm afraid he won't be saving anything for you."

"Oh, finally staking your claim, huh? You know stuff like that really doesn't deter me. I see something I want and I go for it." Donna smiles wickedly.

Michonne reaches back to grab the hilt of her katana. "You can try it."

Rick steps in front of her, glaring at Donna for interrupting them more than anything else. "Did you not understand what I said before? I am not interested in you….at all. Just leave us alone." He grabs Michonne's hand and leads her out of the barn.

"You should stay away from her," Rick says as they make their way back to his apartment.

"I hope you plan on taking that advice as well," Michonne returns. "She appears to be on a mission."

"A mission she has no chance in hell of accomplishing," Rick states.

Later, Michonne is moving around Rick's room curiously. She has just taken a shower and is rummaging through a drawer in search of something to wear to bed. She finds a plain white t-shirt and puts it on, allowing the towel she was wrapped in to drop to the floor. As she bends to retrieve the towel she can't help but notice the golden badge lying next to it. _Rick's deputy sheriff's badge_. She picks it up remembering the first time she saw him. She could only make out so much in the dark, but realized he was wearing a uniform and she remembers this badge. She smiles as she notes the changes a few months can make.

Gone is the uniform, replaced with dark t-shirts and dark jeans, he continues to wear the boots though, his hair is longer, but still curly, he appears leaner but remains well defined. The hard work on the farm is clearly aiding in that muscle definition. She hears the shower shut off, knowing Rick will appear shortly. She places the badge back in the drawer, folds the towel, and sits on the bed to wait for him. Her body is screaming for sex, but she knows it's too soon so she has to resist no matter what.

She probably should've gone to the main house to retrieve something more modest to sleep in, but now that they are here, ready to be open about their feelings, she didn't want to take her eyes off of him. Besides, she could've bumped into Herschel and he would've had all sorts of questions. He inquired about her whereabouts the last time she was here, but never got around to revisiting that conversation. Thank goodness.

Rick emerges from the bathroom, dressed in dark pajama bottoms, no shirt. He smiles at her. "I see you found something."

"Yeah, this will do for the night," she returns the smile shyly.

He can barely contain his excitement. They have slept together before, but just knowing that they may be on their way to a different relationship enhances this moment tremendously. Sleeping together now takes on an entirely new meaning and he can't help envisioning them having sex. He shakes his head as he walks over to the door, switching the lights off. No matter what his body tells him, he is going to respect her and wait for however long it takes.

They both climb into bed, keeping a slight distance between them. Michonne turns on her side, facing him. She searches his face, allowing herself to see him in a new light, allowing herself to appreciate her attraction to him. Her heart is racing just being this close to him.

"I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight," she admits.

A smile plays around his lips. "Me either."

"So, what should we do? Play some cards, talk about some things….." she trails off as Rick shakes his head. "What then?"

"I just want to hold you…..all night," he requests.

Michonne smiles as she inches closer to him. "Ok." She sidles up next to him, resting her head on his shoulder as one arm drapes across her back and the other cups her cheek.

He kisses her softly. "I'm glad you're here."

She relishes in his warmth, cuddling up to him, wanting to get as close as possible. "I don't want to be anywhere else." She smiles up at him. "And just in case you had any doubts…..I want you, too."

The next morning, they are up early. They take their time getting dressed then move to the main house, knowing everyone will already be there for breakfast. They hold hands until they make it to the porch. They share one short meaningful kiss and Rick opens the door, gesturing for her to step inside.

As expected everyone is already seated at the table and all eyes turn to them as they walk inside and take the last two vacant places side by side. They greet everyone and wait for Herschel to say grace.

Afterwards, they all start to dig in. Herschel clears his throat and looks to Michonne. "Well, I missed you last night."

She looks up at him cautiously but before she could speak, Donna does.

"Oh, I'm sure she had a long blissful night in Rick's bed."

Beth and Maggie gasp. Sasha and Daryl share a look as do Glenn and T-Dog. Tyreese glares at Donna.

Herschel looks to her with a frown. "I wasn't addressing you at all. If I want an answer from you, I'll ask for one." His patience with Donna is thin as he is still reeling from the mess she caused between her husband and Tyreese. He's not sure who he thought this woman was when he first met her, but she is not who she appeared to be.

Daryl quickly speaks up with a new subject. "So are we starting on the north side with the traps today?"

After breakfast, Herschel asks to see Rick and Michonne in his study. They share a look, not sure what to expect, but ready to defend themselves no matter what.

They all walk in and as soon as Herschel closes the door, he smiles at them.

"I just wanted to say congratulations. I'm glad you kind of worked this thing out without fussing about it. I know my opinion doesn't matter much, but I saw something with you two as soon as you got here. If it means anything, you have my blessing."

Michonne didn't realize how relieved she'd be to hear those words. Knowing that Herschel approves makes her feel even better about the decision she and Rick have made.

"It means something. Thank you," Rick speaks for both of them.

"I can't say what would've happened to me if y'all hadn't come along so I'm thankful every day that you're here. If you two can find some happiness together, then by all means take it. I think you both deserve it," Herschel tells them, speaking genuinely. "I'm not sure what's going on with Donna, but we may need to keep an eye on her."

Rick and Michonne both nod. From there, they discuss farm business before getting the work started for the day.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

Michonne can't keep her annoyance hidden as Donna is making any and every excuse to leave her duties with them and walk out to see if the men "need" anything. She decides to just ignore her and get back to helping select some fruit for today's lunch and vegetables for tonight's dinner. Once that's done, she plans to let off some steam with a little combat training.

Sasha picks up on her mood. "Hey. Don't let her get to you. I don't know what her problem is. I've been trying not to get involved but I don't like the way she's been treating my brother. I mean, she went after him and now she just wants to dump him and move on. It makes me want to punch her in the face."

Michonne smiles as she agrees with her friend. "I know. Rick seems to be her new target, but I'm not worried about it. She's just very annoying."

Beth and Maggie can't help but overhear their conversation. They both smile as Beth asks, "So are you dating him now?"

"Would we still call it dating with the way things are now?" Michonne inquires.

"Well, you know what I mean. I think it's great. I could tell he really likes you," Beth offers. "And you like him."

Michonne nods. "I do like him. He's a really good guy."

"His friend is a pretty good guy too," Maggie adds.

"She's sweet on Glenn," Beth teases.

"Oh, he's cute Maggie," Sasha supplies.

"You better not let Daryl hear you say that," Maggie says.

They continue to laugh and talk easily, tapering off when they see Donna rushing up to them like she is trying to get away from something or someone.

"Donna, I said stop! I want to talk to you!" Tyreese demands as he walks up quickly behind her.

It's close to lunch time so the others should be right behind him.

"I don't want to talk to you. I told you it's over!" Donna shouts. "I'm going to be with Rick now and there's nothing you can do about it!"

Michonne raises her eyebrows at that statement, but remains silent.

Tyreese scoffs. "Oh yeah? Well, why don't we see what Rick has to say about it?" He waits until Rick comes into view then moves over in more of a confrontational stance than a conversational one.

Rick frowns as Tyreese steps to him.

"Is it true? Are you two timing Michonne with Donna?" Tyreese demands.

"I don't know what's going on here, but I'm not two timing anybody. I'm with Michonne and that's it," Rick states. He tries to walk past Tyreese, but stops as Tyreese plants a hand in his chest.

"Donna says different. Now, I want the truth. She ain't sleeping with me, so something's going on," Tyreese suggests.

Sasha can see where this is going as she knows her brother's temper all too well. She moves over to him cautiously. "Ty please….don't do this."

"Stay out of this Sasha." Her brother only has eyes for Rick as he doesn't even glance in Sasha's direction.

Michonne can see Rick is quickly losing patience, so she steps in between the two men, glad to see Herschel, Daryl, Glenn, and T-Dog a short distance away. She tries to get Rick's attention by touching his arm. "Let's go inside for lunch, ok?"

"Ain't nobody going nowhere until I get some answers!" Tyreese yells. His intention was to move Michonne aside, but in his aggression and anger his touch is a bit too forceful. He pushes her aside and she lands in the dirt, having stepped awkwardly on some rocks.

Rick looks down at her and back at Tyreese. He thinks he can hear her yell his name, but the next thing he knows he is diving at Tyreese, knocking him to the ground and immediately starts punching him in the face.

Michonne recovers quickly and was just about to try and grab him when T-Dog and Daryl race up and pull him off of Tyreese.

"Let go of me!" Rick yells as he struggles to be released.

Michonne rubs her head anxiously, upset at the situation. Rick never would've attacked Tyreese if Tyreese hadn't pushed her and Tyreese never would've pushed her if he wasn't being manipulated by Donna. She turns to look at the other woman who has the audacity to smile about the chaos she has caused.

"You're going to tell the truth and you're going to tell the truth right now." Michonne steps to Donna, barely able to contain her anger.

"Get out of my face. It's not my fault they're fighting over me," Donna says.

Michonne forms a fist and lifts her arm only to have Sasha grab her and step to Donna.

"Make this right, Donna. If you don't want to be with my brother any more, fine, but stop playing these games. People have lost their lives because of you and I'm not going to sit by and let this happen again," Sasha relays.

Herschel steps in the middle of all of them. "This stops today!" He looks to Donna. "Young lady, I don't know what your problem is, but you're going to stop causing trouble around here or you're going to have to leave. I'm not going to tolerate this…..mess in my home. We have more than enough to be worried about and don't need this senselessness. You tell Tyreese the truth. You are not sleeping with Rick!"

Hearing Herschel chastise her makes Donna feel just a little guilty for the strife she has caused. She swallows nervously as she looks to Tyreese who is just lifting himself from the ground. "No, I'm not sleeping with Rick." She wants to add more but realizes she may be barking up the wrong tree when it comes to Rick Grimes. Maybe she should just set her sights on someone else or give Tyreese another chance.

Tyreese walks over to Rick and quickly offers his hand for a handshake. "I'm sorry, man. I was wrong. I wasn't trying to hurt her. I just let my anger get the best of me. It won't happen again."

Rick shakes his hand with a nod. "It's fine." He looks at the blood on his hands and the blood covering Tyreese's face. "I guess I let my anger get the best of me, too. I'm sorry."

Tyreese is sure to apologize to Michonne before they all enter the house for lunch.

Rick and Michonne move off to her room to see about his bloodied hands, deciding to take lunch together away from the others.

Donna offers to help patch up Tyreese's face, but Sasha quickly takes over, wanting to have a long heart to heart with her brother about his so called relationship. Daryl joins them as he has some things to say to his almost brother-in-law as well.

Two uneventful weeks pass and the group is very thankful. They have only had two sightings of walkers and the traps definitely kept them from making it to the fence line.

Maggie and Glenn grow closer and Tyreese accepts Sasha and Daryl's advice, but continues his relationship with Donna.

Rick and Michonne have fallen into a slight routine with her spending most nights with him in his room at the apartment. They are there tonight alone as Glenn is spending time with Maggie and T-Dog has taken to walking the property at night, ensuring that everything is ok.

Rick emerges from the shower, dressed only in a pair of boxers, a towel across his shoulders as he towel dries his hair. He flops face down on the bed. "Please tell me we can go straight to sleep tonight. I am dead tired."

She lifts herself from the only chair in the room and moves over to the foot of the bed, standing there and looking down on him. "Are you really that exhausted?"

"Yes. You'd think I'd be used to all the work we do by now but my muscles stay sore and I swear I don't get enough sleep," Rick ponders.

"Well, let me see if I can help you out with those sore muscles." She climbs onto the bed, glad to be in a pair of comfortable, modest pajamas. She has moved most of her belongings to his room in the last week. She straddles his back, lifting herself onto her knees and slowly starts to give him a massage. She places her hands at his shoulders, tossing the towel aside, and moves her fingers in a circular motion, concentrating her thumbs at the base of his neck.

Rick groans as her hands feel divine on his body. "That feels great."

"Good." She continues to massage him, hoping it will help him sleep a little better tonight. She works her way down his body, kneading the muscles in his lower back. She inches further down and gives the same attention to his thighs and calves, loving the feel of the hair on his body, the firmness of his skin.

Rick is exceptionally quiet. She wonders if he has fallen asleep. She smiles as she stretches her body out on top of his, her chest caressing his back. She props her chin up on a shoulder and whispers, "Are you sleeping?"

His eyes pop open. "Hardly. How can I sleep with your hands all over me?"

She laughs. "I didn't realize I was disturbing you."

"I'm very disturbed." He looks back at her with a serious stare.

"Well, I'm sorry. I guess I should just learn to keep my hands to myself." She pretends to pout.

"Don't you dare do that." He reaches behind him to grab one of her hands, bringing it to his lips. "I love your hands on me."

She takes her other hand and plays lightly with his curls while she places soft kisses to the back of his neck. "I love my hands on you, too." She hugs him tightly from behind, wrapping her arms around him. "So I've been meaning to ask you something for a while now."

"Yeah?"

"Just how much did you see that first night we met?"

"Huh?" He feigns ignorance, hoping she isn't asking what he suspects.

She smiles. "I want to know what you saw." She slides over to the side of him, looking directly into his eyes.

Rick turns his body to face her and closes his eyes to conjure up the memory. He opens his eyes slowly and connects with hers. "You really wanna know?"

With her nod, he sighs and says, "I saw the most perfect pair of breasts, nice, full, round. Just the right size….not too big and not too small. A flat stomach and your skin….your skin looked so smooth. There wasn't a blemish or a bump….." He trails off, hoping he didn't reveal too much or make her uncomfortable.

"How could you determine all that in the dark?" Michonne wants to know.

"It wasn't that dark and I've got some pretty good eyes," Rick returns.

Michonne can only laugh. For some reason that gives her a thrill. Just knowing that she may have affected him even back then causes a fluttering sensation in her stomach. "Your eyes are beautiful. That's one of the first things I noticed about you." She sighs. "Well, I guess that's not totally true. I actually noticed your hands first."

"My hands?" He watches as she takes one of his hands and places it on her chest. All he can do is lie back as she moves closer to him and slowly brings her lips to his.

She kisses him softly, tenderly, pouring all of her love into it. She shudders with happiness as he returns her kiss just as softly, just as tenderly, and just as lovingly.


	9. Chapter 9

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 9)

Rick is feeling apprehensive about this run Michonne and her so called team are planning. The team will consist of all the females and they want to go into town to get some personal items as well as stock up on anything else they can find. He really wants them to take at least one male with them, but Michonne refuses, stating they can handle themselves. She is so excited to be doing this that he can't find it in his heart to deny her.

"Alright. I won't fight you on this. I'll give you 4 hours max. If you aren't back, I'm coming for you," Rick tells her in a serious tone.

"We're going to be fine. It's just a run into town. A girls' day out….so to speak." She smiles at him, pulling gently at his shirt, trying to coax a smile from him.

He looks away shyly, then smiles as she deliberately steps into his line of vision. "Ok, have fun with your girls' day out. I'll see you after a while." He leans down to give her a quick peck on the cheek, but before he can turn away, Michonne grabs his belt and pulls him back to her.

"I need more than that," she tells him right before she lifts her lips to his for a sound, lengthy kiss. She steps back, resting a hand on his chest. "I'll be back soon."

He nods and watches as she walks to the main house to continue preparing with the others. He turns to head out to the fields and stops as he sees Daryl looking at him with a slight smirk. "What?"

"I'm just wondering where my see ya later kiss is. Guess I gotta go hunt mine down." He laughs as he starts in the direction of the house.

Rick just shakes his head as he walks away, grabbing his work gloves from his back pocket.

Sasha is surprised to see Daryl walk through the door. She walks over to him. "Hey. What's going on?"

He lowers his head. "Rick just got a real nice see ya later kiss and it made me realize that I didn't get nothing. Ya think that's fair?"

All Sasha can do is smile as she lifts up on her toes to kiss him. "Sorry baby. I surely don't want you to feel neglected."

Michonne can't help noticing Sasha and Daryl's kiss. She wonders if she and Rick will have longevity or if this world will tarnish any happiness they can hope to have. She looks away from them, feeling as if she is intruding somehow.

Moments later, they are loading up in the suburban, Michonne behind the wheel with Sasha by her side. Beth and Maggie are in back as they all wait for Donna to say goodbye to Tyreese. The two of them are standing right outside the vehicle, kissing as if they won't see each other again.

Sasha reaches over and taps the horn twice, startling them. "Let's go," she yells out of the open window.

Minutes later, they arrive at the small town's shopping plaza, deciding to hit the pharmacy first. Maggie grabs a couple of shopping baskets as she and Beth move off down one aisle while Michonne and Sasha hit another. Donna feels a bit left out, but shakes it off and goes in search of some things she needs.

They are all enjoying themselves as they haven't encountered any walkers and are making pretty good progress, locating items they want and need. The small clothing store wasn't necessarily on their list of places to hit, but curiosity gets the best of them, so they decide to check it out. They are so enthralled with the assortment of clothes that they don't notice the two scrunge looking guys, watching them from the window.

"Well, ain't this a sight for sore eyes?" One of the men asks as he and his companion enter the store.

Michonne immediately drops what she has in her hands and unsheathes her katana. Sasha, Maggie, and Beth do the same only they have guns. Donna continues to hold her items, looking at the men with interest.

The men hold their hands up, but don't let go of their weapons. The one who spoke first, nods as they move further into the store.

"We don't want any trouble. We're just shocked to see women out here um….shopping I guess. Is that what y'all are doing?" He asks.

"As a matter of fact, we are shopping," Donna offers.

Michonne looks to her with a glare.

"Shut up Donna," Sasha demands. "We're done for the day, so we're just going to leave now."

"Well, damn. You don't have to run off. I thought we could all get to know each other better." He points to his friend. "That's Melvin. I'm Tony."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Donna."

Michonne, Sasha, Maggie, and Beth can't believe Donna is risking their safety like this.

"So, y'all living around here? You got a camp or something?"

"We're on a farm…." Donna is cut off as Michonne circles down to her and slightly stands in front of her.

"We're actually leaving now." Michonne announces as she eyes the back door, praying there are no other men or walkers lurking around.

"But we were just getting to know each other," Melvin says. "Five beautiful women like you. We just don't see that every day. Thought maybe we could have a little fun together."

Michonne looks to Sasha, Maggie, and Beth, hoping they can decipher her look and make a move for the back door quickly. She jumps as Donna moves away from them and walks towards the men. "Donna don't!"

It's too late as the man who introduced himself as Tony grabs Donna and puts his gun to her head.

Maggie and Beth gasp loudly, but Michonne and Sasha only grimace at Donna's foolishness.

"Hey. You don't have to be so rough and get that gun away from me. I'll cooperate, ok?" Donna admits.

"I just need a little assurance, babydoll. Make sure your friends here understand what's going to happen," Tony states.

"And what is that exactly?" Sasha asks.

"First of all, you're going to put your weapons down, so we can have a little fun," Melvin tells them as he looks to Tony. "I don't know which one I should try first."

"Now, you know that's not how it works. We need to get them back to camp first," Tony reminds him.

"Hell, who's gonna know we had a little sample before everybody else?" Melvin asks.

Maggie looks to the other three with panic. Her eyes follow the direction Michonne is looking in and quickly determines that she wants them to go for the back door. She can't help but wonder what that will mean for Donna.

Michonne and Sasha work seamlessly as the latter takes the first shot, hitting Melvin in the shoulder as the other three take off for the back door. Sasha quickly follows, ducking down as Melvin and Tony return fire.

They burst out of the back door and stumble into a grassy area. Three walkers turn toward them and slowly start ambling their way. Michonne takes the lead with Maggie and Beth in the middle and Sasha bringing up the rear.

Beth is anxious and wants so badly to ask about Donna, but she keeps quiet as they creep around the side of the building, trying to see if the way is clear to their vehicle.

Michonne cautiously checks around the corner. She sees at least 5 more guys with guns making their way down the main street. The vehicle they came in is parked on the other end, so they will have to double back and move behind the buildings to get to it safely. She watches as Tony and Melvin rush out of the clothing store, obviously informing their comrades about them. She also notices that Donna doesn't appear to be putting up much of a struggle. She indicates for the others to double back and move behind the buildings quickly.

They make it past the back door of the clothing store, bypassing the walkers on the way, and keep going. Their hearts beating frantically, they quietly make their way back to the truck. Each of them is determined to get to the farm. They all feel a little comfort, sitting in the truck as Michonne starts it up and prepares to drive away.

"Donna. We just can't leave her," Beth demands.

"If we don't, whatever happens to her, happens to us," Michonne says as she puts the truck in reverse. Just then, shots start ringing out.

Sasha leans out of the window and returns the fire as five guys run towards them, Tony, Melvin, and Donna following close behind. Michonne throws the truck in drive and floors it.

Minutes later, they appear to have lost them, but Michonne can't help checking the rearview mirror every few seconds. Sasha does the same as Beth and Maggie turn their bodies to watch constantly out the back window.

Relief can't describe their feelings as the rusted iron fence and the Greene Family mailbox comes into view. Beth hops out quickly and releases the padlock and swings the gate open so Michonne can drive in. She closes the gate, replacing the padlock and jumps back into the truck as they make their way up the long, winding, dirt road.

The guys see them from the fields and quickly make their way to the house to meet them.

Michonne jumps out of the truck and rushes to Rick for a quick hug she is so glad to see him.

"Hey. That wasn't long at all. I didn't…"

She shakes her head at him. "We ran into some trouble. These men…"

"Where's Donna?" Tyreese asks.

"They took her," Sasha supplies.

Minutes later, Michonne has given them a complete rundown of what took place, Sasha, Maggie, and Beth backing her story.

"Let me get this straight. You just left Donna there?" Tyreese demands.

"We didn't have a choice," Michonne supplies. She didn't have the heart to tell Tyreese that Donna seemed to be willing to go with the men.

"Well, I've got to find her. We need to find her," Tyreese tells them.

"Obviously, Michonne did what she had to do in order to survive. We've got to think clearly about this and form a plan. Besides, I'm sure they're not still in the town. They've probably taken her back to their camp," Daryl states.

"She told them we were on a farm and there's no telling what else she has given them," Sasha returns.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tyreese asks.

"It means she could be leading them to us right now," Sasha relays.

"Damn. What are we gonna do?" T-Dog inquires. "Did y'all see these guys? How many of them was it?"

"Seven that we saw, but if they have a camp, there may be more," Michonne offers.

"We can leave or make a stand," Glenn advises.

"But we don't know what we're up against. I'm sure they have more than seven men if it's a camp," Herschel interjects.

Michonne looks to Rick who hasn't said much at all.

He returns her look. "We can make a stand, but I say Michonne, Sasha, Maggie, and Beth leave and hide out in the woods."

"What? No. If we make a stand, we all make a stand," Michonne states.

"They took Donna, right? Said they were gonna take all of you back to their camp? So, does anybody else assume that it's females they want? Did they ask about supplies? Did they ask if any men and children were with you?"

Michonne considers the questions and surmises that Rick may have a point, but she can't fathom leaving him behind to face this without her. "I'm not leaving without you."

Rick chooses to ignore her as he moves off with Herschel, Daryl, Tyreese, T-Dog, and Glenn to form a plan.

She takes a step to go after them but Sasha stops her. "You gotta let him handle this, Michonne. Don't add to his stress."

Michonne looks to her friend and knows she is right, but can't help struggling with this. She knows she can help him and he needs to let her. He can't protect her from everything. Besides, she was protecting herself before he came along.

Sasha instructs Beth and Maggie to grab what they can as they prepare to leave. Michonne reluctantly moves off to the apartment to do the same.

She has just packed a few belongings for Rick, believing that even if she has to leave for a while, they will be reunited in a day or so. She is relieved to see him walk through the bedroom door, going straight for the closet and the guns and ammo he has stored there.

He moves over to the bed and starts inspecting the weapons. He looks up at her cautiously. "I know this isn't what you want, but it's what I need right now. I have to be sure you're away from this and safe."

"But you know I can help you. Please don't…"

"No."

"What if there are more than just those handful of guys we saw at the store?" She counters.

"T-Dog and Glenn are scouting the roads right now. Daryl is loading up the other vehicle. If we see there are too many of them, then we hightail it out of here and come for y'all," Rick relays. "Right now, this is the only home we have. I'd rather try to defend it and have some place safe for us than go out there and be exposed for who knows how long."

"I….you're right." Michonne sighs. "But this is hard for me. How can I…" She trails off, unable to voice the question.

Rick knows what she is going through. He is struggling with being separated from her as well, but he knows this is for the best. "We do what we have to do until the threat has been dealt with. We'll be ok, right? Right?"

She nods, fighting back the tears. "Right."

Daryl bursts in the room. "One vehicle spotted down the road, heading this way. Showtime. Let's go." He moves out the same way he came in.

Michonne grabs her backpack and quickly helps Rick load up with his weapons and ammo.

He takes two of the guns and places them in the side pockets of her backpack, along with ammo for both. "Be careful and I'll see you soon."

She nods, then fists his shirt pulling him to her and kissing him desperately. She steps back with a deep sigh. "I'll see you soon."

They both walk out of the apartment. She grasps his hand, but doesn't look at him, then lets go as she moves toward Sasha, Maggie, and Beth in the suburban and he moves off to Daryl, Glenn, T-Dog and Tyreese.

Herschel is standing by the suburban, giving them instructions on how to take the back roads away from the farm. "Just follow the creek and you should be fine." He steps back as Michonne takes the driver's seat, starts the vehicle and drives off toward the barn.

Maggie leads them to an abandoned church where they decide to hold up for the night. They park the truck behind the church and secure the doors and windows as best as they can, none of them able to sleep, wondering what is happening at the farm.

Meanwhile, Rick, Daryl, Glenn, T-Dog, Herschel, and Tyreese are at a stand-off with the five men that obviously encountered Michonne, Sasha, Beth, Maggie, and Donna earlier. The latter is seated in the truck and appears to be badly bruised. Tyreese quells down his concern as he and the others face off with the threat.

"Donna here told us everything we need to know. We know the women came here, so just hand them over and we're square," Tony negotiates.

"They're not here, so we can't hand them over," Rick returns.

"Well, just tell us where we can find them and no one has to die today," Tony says.

"Why is it so important that you have those women in particular?" Herschel wants to know.

"Do you know how long it's been since we came across some quality females like you got here? Not only are they beautiful, they can hold their own. They got away from us, didn't they?" Melvin laughs. "We need females like that and we aim to have 'em, especially the one with sword. Which one of y'all is hitting that?"

"Man, look they ain't here. They are long gone by now, so why don't y'all just pack it up and walk away? Go find some other women," T-Dog advises.

Just then a second vehicle is seen making its way up the dirt road.

Rick's gut is telling him to fall back, but that would only ensure a gun fight. He can't risk everybody like that, so he decides to stand his ground and pray that they can get these assholes to leave empty handed.

The other vehicle pulls up and four men step out. "What's taking so damn long?" One of them asks.

Rick, T-Dog, and Glenn share a look as they recognize Jay and Warren from the refugee camp. They all keep quiet as Jay and Warren recognize them but both give a slight shake of their heads, indicating they shouldn't reveal that they know each other.

"The women ain't here and these assholes won't give up their location," Tony informs.

"Well, shit. Just kill 'em. We'll find the women eventually. They ain't going far if these are their husbands and boyfriends, right? They'll be back looking for 'em. We can just wait it out," another of the new arrivals suggests.

"Good looking out, Riley. Well, let's get this show on the road," Tony says as he takes aim at Glenn.

"Now, hold up a minute. These dudes look like they've been holding up pretty well. We can always use the extra muscle. Y'all know that," Jay advises. "Let's just take 'em back to camp and see what Cy has to say. He may even want to come back out here and take a look at this farm. This is a hell of a lot better than what we got going on."

Rick is thankful as Jay just bought them some more time. He knows they'll have to regroup and come up with another plan. Michonne will more than likely come back to the farm, looking for him when they don't come for them. _Damn._

Jay and Warren grab Herschel as an "insurance policy" and shove him into their vehicle, telling Rick, Glenn, T-Dog, Daryl, and Tyreese to follow them.

Rick and company pile into Herschel's truck and follow the other two vehicles off the farm. He can't help looking back at the property in his rearview mirror, wondering how he is going to get back to Michonne.


	10. Chapter 10

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 10)

They watch the terrain closely as they travel, memorizing the lay of the land as best as they are able. The silence is blaring inside the vehicle, but they are all thinking about the same thing. A way to eliminate this threat and get back to the farm before the women do. The drive seems long to Rick but he checks his watch and realizes it has only been about 30 minutes. Ten minutes later, the three vehicles slow down as the road becomes more rocky and uneven.

They pull into some sort of camp grounds and Rick waits as the others pile out of their vehicles and start to walk toward a small building. They hear a loud whistle as Jay waves, indicating they should follow.

"Be ready for anythang," Rick warns as they exit the vehicle. He keeps an eye out for Herschel as he is escorted by the other men.

The doors to the building are wide open and it appears to have been a kitchen/dining area as there are coolers, drink dispensers, a refrigerator and other kitchen items. Nothing appears to be in working order. They move on and come up to a suspension of black cable wire, observing as the others bend over and slip underneath.

Daryl points out that it basically surrounds the area, encompassing eight cabin-like structures, four on one side and four on the opposite side. They slip underneath the wire and follow the others into the camp.

Tony stops them by some sort of wooden structure that is charred and burnt. "Ya'll just sit tight for a moment. I'll get Cy."

Rick quickly runs a finger across his gun, thankful he still has it, but not sure how good it will do him now as they are completely outnumbered. He observes the area closely as do T-Dog, Tyreese, Glenn, and Daryl. Herschel gives them a nod, letting them know he's ok as they allow him to sit on an old tree stump.

In addition to the eight guys who arrived at the farm, Rick is surmising there are at least fifteen others. He counts four women, five if he includes Donna who has disappeared with the guy called Melvin. He is sure Tyreese has noticed that and hopes he is able to keep his cool so they can get out of this alive.

A loud, booming voice yells, "Welcome!"

It draws everyone's attention to a tall, bald guy with piercing green eyes. It also irritates Rick as the noise could possibly draw walkers to them. This guy doesn't seem to be concerned at all.

"I'm Cy gentlemen and I've heard a lot about you already. My guys were pretty impressed with your set up and seem to think you're capable and can handle yourselves. All I need to know is if you're willing to share."

"Share what?" Glenn asks.

"Well, before we get into the particulars, let me get your names. I like to know who I'm talking to, who I might be letting in," Cy returns.

They sound off their names and wait for Cy to answer Glenn's question.

Cy pulls one of the women to his side, groping her breasts. "You got to be willing to share your women of course. They're here for our pleasure. We protect them, keep them alive, and all we ask in return is a little….appreciation. Our girls here are looking a little worn out. We need some fresh meat and from what I hear about the stash you got….well, let's just say I can't wait to get a taste."

He is met with silence so he continues with, "Don't get it wrong. Everybody gets a go. I always get first dibs, of course, but it changes from week to week."

"Shouldn't you be more concerned with survival these days?" T-Dog asks.

"Oh, this is how we're surviving. We kill what needs to be killed, scavenge, and get supplies…the hard stuff so to speak. Our ladies cook, clean, do the laundry, and suck our dicks at night. I think it's a beautiful set up. It doesn't get any better than this. So, what's it gonna be? You game?" Cy asks.

Rick exchanges looks with the others, knowing none of them are going to agree to this medieval way of thinking. His goal is survival, so he plays along. "I don't think our women are going to…conform to this way of living."

"It won't take us long to convert them. Believe me. We've done it before and we can do it again. A well placed fist can go a long way with a woman," Cy smiles evilly as he leans over to the woman by his side. "Isn't that right sweetheart?"

Rick is disgusted. The world has gone to shit and assholes like this are able to get away with any and everything.

"So we're just supposed to pack up and move here?" Daryl inquires. "Things look kinda cramped already."

"That's why we chose this place. There's room for expansion. With the way things are now, we gotta stick together, right? It's the only way we survive," Cy returns. "Do you need a little time to think this over?"

"A couple of days would be nice," Rick suggests, needing the time to figure out exactly how to get rid of this threat.

"No problem, my new friend. Two days should be enough time for you to get with your women and let them know what's about to take place." Cy looks directly at Rick. "I just need to send a few of my guys with you. Don't need you caving and changing your mind."

Rick struggles to keep his facial expression neutral as he wasn't expecting that suggestion. He already knows they won't be able to walk away from this without spilling blood.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

A little over twenty-four hours later, Michonne is anxious and shares her feelings with Sasha, Beth, and Maggie.

"We have to go back. I can't sit here wondering another day. We need to know," she tells them.

The others agree and they start loading up their vehicle, preparing to travel back to the farm. They keep to the path they took initially, coming up on the barn first.

Beth points ahead. "Look. That's not ours." They all take notice of the big black cargo van parked in close proximity to the barn.

Michonne immediately moves off the dirt road and kills the engine, praying no one heard their approach. She reminds them to inspect their weapons and be ready for anything as they all agree to check out the barn first to see what could be going on.

As before, Michonne leads the way with Beth and Maggie in the middle and Sasha bringing up the rear. They hear the moans and groans before they see anyone. They creep forward cautiously, slipping into the barn undetected, crouching down as low to the ground as possible.

What they see in one of the lower level stalls turns all of their stomachs. Donna is down on all fours, completely naked while one man is standing in front of her, moving his member in and out of her mouth while another man is kneeling behind her, pumping into her body relentlessly.

Sasha and Michonne lead, holding their weapons out in front of them as they attack the two men, practically trying to shatter their skulls with the guns but only rendering them unconscious.

Donna moves away and cowers in the corner, hugging her knees to her chest. Maggie and Beth move in and kneel beside her, asking her if she is ok as they note the multiple bruises on her face and body.

"Where is everybody?" Michonne whispers. "Donna, are they alive?"

Donna looks up at her and nods shakily. She eyes the knife in Maggie's belt and grabs it. Before anyone can stop her, she drives the knife into the skull of the man who was raping her from behind. No one says a word as she does the same to the other man, ensuring that they won't torture anyone else ever again.

"How many are there?" Sasha wants to know. "Can you tell us where they are?"

Donna locates her clothes and quickly tells them what she knows. There were ten men altogether, now only eight with the two who were raping her taken care of. She also lets them know exactly why they are there.

With that information, Michonne and Sasha realize what's at stake and what they have to do to ensure that they aren't taken and their lives and the lives of the people they care about and love are preserved. They look to Maggie and Beth, asking if they are ready for what is surely to come next. All it takes is one more look at Donna and Beth and Maggie surmise that they are ready and willing to do anything to keep away from that fate.

They use Donna's information and knowledge to their advantage, scoping out the house undetected, noting two of the men are keeping guard on the porch of the main house. Donna assures them that all the others are inside, Cy's men heavily armed and under the pretense that Rick and the others are going to play along with their game plan.

Michonne nods, thinking that was smart of them to play along. Maybe it bought them a little time, but she doesn't plan to negotiate. _It's us or them._ They quickly come up with a strategy, checking their ammo and weapons before stepping out of the barn and moving quietly towards the house.

Sasha and Beth veer off towards the rear of the house while Maggie and Michonne follow Donna. If these Neanderthals are as primitive as Donna describes, they won't be expecting "helpless and weak" women to attack them.

Donna keeps Maggie's knife with her as the other two hide by the side of the house. Donna quickly gets the attention of the two guards on duty. "You may want to get the guys and tell them to come on out here. I've got a little surprise for them."

One of the guards laughs. "Honey, I don't think anything you have is a surprise for anybody anymore."

The other guard laughs with him as they both move over to give Donna their full attention. "I think she still has some potential. I only hit it like once, so I could have at it again."

 _There's a special place in hell for these motherfuckers._ Michonne thinks to herself, watching as they take the bait and move off the porch, approaching Donna just as she said they would.

Michonne and Maggie both start as Donna prematurely stabs the first guy, prompting them to move quicker than they thought they'd have to. The guy yells out as he goes to his knees in front of Donna and she quickly grabs his gun.

Maggie points her gun at the other one, but Michonne drives her sword through the wrist of his gun hand, satisfied when he drops the weapon but cringing as both men's yells alert the others in the house.

Michonne tells Maggie and Donna to hide as she stakes the guy in front of her, pinning him to the ground, relaying to him to shut up or she'll twist the blade. Maggie moves off quickly, hiding before the others file out of the house, but Donna is repeatedly stabbing her victim and nothing and no one is getting through to her.

"You fucking bitch!" One of the guys moving into the yard yells at Donna.

She finally comes out of her trance and races to stand near Michonne.

The latter watches as they all move to stand in front of the house, her eyes softening for just a moment when they land on Rick. _He's ok._ She turns her attention back to the one she has staked to the ground, his whimpers the only indication of his pain. She is ready to do whatever it takes to keep Rick alive. She tries not to react as she recognizes Jay and Warren, praying they are on their side.

"Let him go now," the same guy who yelled at Donna demands.

"I'll let him go when you let our men go," she returns.

He laughs. "We're not holding 'em. They're here of their own freewill just waiting for you to show up. Ain't that right fellas?" He asks as he looks to the others. He brings his attention back to Michonne, quickly losing patience. "Whose bitch are you anyway?" When she doesn't answer, he looks to his companions.

Melvin is standing next to Rick and laughs as he pushes him forward.

Michonne watches in horror as the man who questioned her puts a gun to Rick's head and tells him to drop to his knees. Rick complies as his assailant looks back to Michonne.

"Alright, let's try this again. Let him go…..now." He pulls the hammer back on his gun as if to reiterate his intentions.

Michonne looks around the yard and her eyes land on Jay and Warren. She shares a look with them before her eyes come back to Rick. She tilts her head and prays this works out for the best as she slowly pulls her katana from the man's chest. She relaxes her stance for a moment and allows him to come to a sitting position.

The man seated at her feet immediately goes into a hateful tirade and is cut off as a shot rings out hitting the dude standing next to Daryl square in the forehead. That's all the signal Michonne needs as she lifts her katana and pushes it forward, piercing the man's heart. She runs for cover behind one of the vehicles as shots begin to fly wildly, a battle ensuing.

Rick grabs his assailant's wrist, pushing the gun skyward while kneeing him in the stomach. He takes control of the weapon and puts a bullet in his head before dropping to the ground as he rolls out of the line of fire. Daryl swings his crossbow out to his side, catching Tony across the head before dashing off for cover. Herschel moves off behind a tree for safety. Glenn and Tyreese both dive to the ground, the former pulling his gun and hitting Melvin in the kneecaps while Tyreese plugs him in the gut. T-Dog joins Herschel by the tree and looks up in astonishment as he notices Sasha in an upstairs window of the house, letting off round after round. Warren finishes off Tony as the wound Daryl inflicted didn't kill him.

The silence is deafening as everyone's ears are ringing from the repeated gunfire. Rick recovers first as he makes his way to Michonne. Before he can get a word out, Beth bursts out of the front door of the main house, yelling, "Walkers!"

She takes off sprinting toward the pasture where the cattle graze. They all fall in line and follow her.

A small herd of walkers has descended upon the cattle, feasting hungrily. With all the gun fire sounding off, there is no way they could've heard the cows' moans and moos of distress. Besides, the human threat took precedence over this one at the time. They all go to work seamlessly, trying their best to utilize inaudible weapons, but quickly surmise that guns are needed to stifle this threat as well.

No one bothers to determine the amount of time that passes before the threat is handled sufficiently. They are all breathless, tired, and covered in blood and guts before it is all over. Once again, there is much to be done as T-Dog and Daryl immediately attempt to mend the area where the fence was broken, Herschel and Tyreese start herding the few remaining cattle towards the barn, Glenn and Maggie start moving the walker bodies into a pile while the others move back towards the house to deal with the damage there.

Over an hour later, there is still more to handle as Rick hasn't forgotten about the men at the other camp, expecting their return. Herschel suggests they all get some rest if they can. Jay and Warren offer to keep watch and T-Dog decides to join them. Rick lets them know to all convene together as soon as the sun rises to determine their next course of action.

The latter observes as Michonne remains silent and soon exits the house, moving towards the apartment. He follows her to his room and closes the door, watching her closely. He quickly grabs a hold of the dresser and starts pulling it towards the door.

Michonne jumps as the legs of the furniture scrape against the hardwood floor. She turns to see what he is doing and notices the dresser blocking the door. She almost smiles as he is making sure no one disturbs them.

He searches her from head to toe, taking in the blood on her face, her clothes, and her sword. Today was necessary and he hopes she realizes that. He notices a slight sadness about her and it worries him. He walks to her slowly, bringing his hands to her face to lift her eyes to his. "Are you okay?"

She shakes her head no and throws herself at him, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his neck. She can feel the blood on him, she can smell it, but she doesn't care. She just needs to hold him and she needs him to hold her. _We survived. That's what matters_ she repeats to herself over and over again.

"I….I had to kill that man." She whispers against his neck, afraid to look into his eyes, afraid he'll see someone else, something else. The need to survive was on her so heavily that she never stopped to think what taking another life would mean. "I guess there's a place for me in hell now."

Rick pulls back so he can see her face. He gives a slight smile, wanting so badly to reassure her. "We're already in hell. This world now….this is hell on earth."

She glances away, not wanting to accept those words. She feels his hands on her face again, guiding her back to him.

He waits until she lifts her eyes to his. "Someone is still looking down on us. He granted me a little piece of heaven in this hell…because I've got you. That's what's gonna make this world ok for me, why I'm not gonna give up. Because of you."

Michonne manages a small smile as she looks at him, finally allowing herself to feel the relief of their survival. She was determined to see him again, to be able to fight by his side again. _He is all that matters now._ She leans forward and tentatively places her mouth against his. "I won't give up."

Rick sighs heavily, relieved to know they are on the same page. He rubs her arms affectionately. "I'm going to take a shower. I won't be long. I promise." He steps to her side about to move towards the bathroom when he feels her grab his hand to stay him.

"I need a shower, too," she suggests as walks toward the bathroom, pulling him behind her.

Rick's eyebrows go up in question, but he remains silent as he follows her into the bathroom. He watches as she proceeds to close the door, then turns to him and begins to undress, her eyes never leaving his.

Michonne doesn't falter as she knows exactly what she wants now. She wants Rick in every way and nothing and no one is going to keep her from that goal. She pulls away each layer and stands before him in all of her glory.

Rick closes his eyes against the sight in front of him, unable to believe that this is happening between them. He has wanted it for so long, longer than he cares to admit and he doesn't want anything to go wrong. He watches as she moves toward him and grabs the end of his t-shirt, pulling it up and over his head. His hands go to his belt, unbuckling it and then working on his jeans, toeing his boots off before finally standing in front of her just as naked as she is.

He slowly reaches forward, placing a hand to her shoulder to pull her towards him. He stops as his eyes zero in on his wedding band. He drops his head and his hand simultaneously. Seconds later, he brings his eyes back to hers and lifts his ring hand, looking down at it contemplatively.

Michonne watches quietly as Rick removes his ring and reaches behind her to place it on the bathroom countertop. She slowly places her hand atop his, both hovering over the ring for just a moment.

She then steps into the shower, pulling him with her as she turns the water on, adjusting the temperature to her satisfaction. She turns to face him as she moves back under the spray, allowing the water to drench her body.

He closes the slight distance between them, enjoying the warm water as it coats his skin. He circles his arms around her waist and slowly caresses her while carefully removing the blood stains.

Michonne grabs the soap and slowly lathers her hands with it and proceeds to slowly wash Rick, reveling in the contact. She smiles as he mimics her actions, his touch affecting her just as much as hers is affecting him.

Unable to hold back any longer, he leans in and captures her mouth with his. She responds hungrily, wrapping her arms around him. Their hands are almost frantic as they both want to touch each other all over and all at once if possible.

He gently moves her back to the wall, covering her body with his as he slowly begins to kiss her cheek, grazing his lips down to her neck where he suckles her eagerly. He opens his mouth over her shoulder, lifting her arm to place soft kisses there as he entwines his fingers with hers.

She gasps as he places his hands over her breasts, squeezing them with care. Her hands move up and down his back as she rocks her hips, wanting to get as close to him as possible.

He drops his head, bending slightly to take a nipple into his mouth. He cups her, holding her up to his lips as he laves her over and over again with his tongue before latching on once again, sucking with purpose. He moves from one gorgeous breast to the other, his hand dropping to her stomach before sliding further down, his fingers searching for a certain spot.

Michonne lifts up on her toes as Rick circles her clit with the pads of his index and middle fingers. She grabs blindly at his hair, unable to stifle the moans that escape her. She hasn't felt anything like this in a long time and she's not sure if she can handle it. Her body tells her differently as she rolls with his caresses, shuddering as a familiar stirring begins to flow through her body. She drops her feet to the floor of the shower as she is overcome by her orgasm.

She is limp in Rick's arms as he disconnects the water and moves them both to the bedroom. She feels the bed as her back encounters the coolness of the comforter.

Rick covers her body with his, resting between her thighs as he starts to kiss her again. He kisses her until he receives an eager response, her tongue pushing into his mouth as she brings her arms to his back, pressing him to her. The taste of her, the smoothness and firmness of her skin, the sleekness of her folds as he encountered her body's moisture only moments before all serve to almost send him over the edge without even entering her.

She breaks their kiss and moves down to his neck, suckling him gently. She places her lips at his ear, gasping as he rocks against her. She pulls his lobe into her mouth, then whispers, "I need you. I need you now."

No further encouragement is necessary as he aligns his body with hers and enters her slowly. He moves in inch by inch, her breaths at his ear sending shivers all through his body as he comes to a stop, her warmth surrounding him snugly. They both remain immobile for just a moment, relishing in the connection that joins them together as one.

Michonne brings a hand to his cheek, guiding his lips back to hers. She kisses him softly as she lifts her hips, needing him to move with her. She opens her mouth over his, sliding her tongue inside as they begin to move together. Their rhythm is slow and steady as they make love leisurely, blocking out any and everything. As far as they are concerned, the world only exists for them. It's what they both need, to get lost in each other.

The intensity increases steadily as they strive for release. Tears begin to form in Michonne's eyes as she can't believe how good he feels. Her emotions are overwhelming as he slides in and out, her body grabbing at him greedily. His moans excite her even more as she arches her back, her toes curling as her sex begins to pulsate and vibrate around his. His entire body stiffens as his sex swells within her right before his climax.

She can feel his seed as he throbs and pumps within hers. They are breathless, exhausted, spent, and elated all at the same time. She smiles as he smiles and drops his forehead against hers.


	11. Chapter 11

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 11)

The farm appears docile in the early morning hours before the sun begins to rise. In the semi-darkness, the devastation to the livestock, the decimation of a small herd of walkers, and even the elimination of several human lives cannot be detected. The stillness and lack of sound shrouds the land, making the events of the day before questionable as if they never happened.

The farm's occupants are all dealing with yesterday's debacle as best as they can. A soft glow from a lamp in the living room area of the main house can be seen as T-Dog tries to get comfortable in an arm chair near the front door. He had been keeping watch with Jay and Warren as a means to give his friends some time alone. He knew Rick and Michonne were together and he knew Maggie would sneak out of her room and visit Glenn as soon as she thought her dad and Beth were asleep. When he started stumbling around at the fences, he knew he needed rest so he told Jay and Warren he would catch them in a couple of hours. He turns his head as he hears a slight noise at the door. He looks up and connects with Maggie's green eyes as she is making her way back.

She smiles as she puts a finger to her lips and tiptoes away from him, making her way upstairs to her room before Herschel rises.

Meanwhile, Sasha and Daryl are in Michonne's old room, holding each other quietly before they have to get up and face another day. Donna followed Tyreese out to the barn hours earlier only to have him tell her that he didn't want to talk about anything. They sat in an uncomfortable silence until Tyreese slowly reached out and took one of her hands into his. Donna accepted the contact, hoping it was a sign of a new beginning for them.

Michonne feels like she's dreaming. The room is quiet save for their throaty moans and breathy pants as Rick moves within her. They are making love yet again, his hands underneath her, palming her ass, his face buried in her neck. Her arms drape his shoulders as one hand cradles his head and the other splays across his upper back. Their bodies rock against each other in a perfectly slow rhythm, culminating into an intensely satisfying release.

She almost hates to let him go as she feels him disconnect and move to lay by her side. She wonders how they'll function today with as little sleep as they've managed to get. Turning to face him, she takes in his profile, watching closely as his chest rises and falls rapidly in time with hers. She reaches forward and places a hand over his heart. "Rick?"

"Hmmmm?"

"I love you," Michonne whispers softly.

He slowly opens his eyes and turns his head to face her. A slight smile plays at his lips as if he is trying to hold himself back. He pulls her into his arms, inhaling deeply before releasing his breath with a whistle. "And I just thought this day couldn't get any better." He gives her a tight squeeze before leaning back to look into her eyes. He lifts her chin and kisses her softly. "I love you, too. That's been with me for a while now, so thank you."

"For what?"

"For saying it first." He laughs as she gasps and swats at him playfully.

An urgent knock sounds at the door.

Rick sighs heavily as he should've known the serenity wouldn't last. "Yeah?"

"Rick, you and Michonne better get out here. We can't find Jay and Warren," Glenn announces through the door.

Rick and Michonne share a look before they both spring into action. The former moves over to the door and tells Glenn they're on the way.

Several minutes later, they are in the kitchen at the main house joining the others as Glenn and T-Dog relay what they discovered. T-Dog noted that one of the vehicles from Cy's group was missing before he ever made it to the main fence and realized that Jay and Warren weren't there. He had only been away from them for 3 hours at the most.

"They went back to the camp to get the others. They're coming here to kill us," Donna exclaims. "We can't stay here."

"We're not running. We're gonna stay here and we're gonna fight," Rick states.

Donna laughs. "We got lucky before. Let's not test that luck again." She looks to Michonne. "You better start talking some sense to your man because I'm not going through what I went through before."

Michonne shares a look with Tyreese who quickly pulls Donna aside to talk to her.

"We have no reason to believe that Jay and Warren would attack us," Glenn inputs.

"But how well do you know these guys?" Sasha asks.

"If they wanted us dead, they could've easily done that before now and why would they help us take down the others?" Rick wants to know.

"So what's the plan? Do we follow them or do we just wait?" Michonne inquires.

"Wait around like sitting targets? No way. I say we take the fight to them and end it," Daryl suggests.

"They've got at least 13 men left at that camp and what 3 or 4 women? We're a bit outnumbered but we could make it work," Rick surmises. He turns to Herschel. "I hate to put you and Beth out there, but I can't see leaving you here either. We all need to stick together."

Herschel nods. "Bethy and I will be ok. We can do this."

"We're doing this now?" Sasha inquires.

"No better time than the present." T-Dog offers. "Let's gear up."

Almost two hours later, they pull up at least a half mile away from the camp grounds and move in on foot cautiously. Rick and Daryl lead with Tyreese, T-Dog, and Glenn close behind. Michonne and Sasha bring up the rear with Maggie, Donna, Beth, and Herschel. What they hear surprises them as it sounds a bit like laughter.

Rick raises a hand in gesture for the others to stop. He proceeds to move forward alone, intentionally ignoring Michonne as he can feel her eyes boring into the back of his head. He is thankful she remains quiet as he makes his way to their camp, gun raised at the ready. He flinches as at least four men raise their guns and take aim at him.

Warren notices him right off. "Rick Grimes. You made it. Welcome to our little party." He motions for the men to lower their weapons.

Rick frowns and lowers his weapon as well. He takes in the scene before him and doesn't know how to feel about it. Cy is tied to a tree, naked, several open and bleeding wounds covering his body. Two other men are tied in the same fashion on the opposite side of the camp.

Rick whistles for the others to join him. He looks to Jay and Warren. "You wanna tell me what this is all about?"

"Sorry to leave without saying goodbye and all," Jay offers. "We decided the best way to deal with this situation was to cut off the head of the snake and watch the body crumble." He points to the men tied to the trees. "We knew we'd have a little opposition, but majority of us fell into place and we handled the problem. I asked the ladies here what they'd like to do and here we are. These guys are getting a little payback so to speak."

Rick watches as the others walk cautiously into camp, looking around in disbelief. "Can we talk for a minute?" He walks off a short distance with Jay and Warren. "It's none of my business but my assumption is that all of you were in on this deal with Cy."

Jay and Warren shake their heads.

"Come on, Grimes. We're a lot of things, but we aren't rapists. We had to play along but whenever one of the girls came to me, I just let her sleep, man. I didn't touch any of them and neither did Warren," Jay admits. "We knew we'd have their support if no one else's. We came back before the sun was up, knowing he'd be with one or two of the girls and we'd catch him with his pants down."

"We just need to decide if we're going to kill him or not," Warren states. "I don't think we're going to have a choice."

"You don't," Rick returns. "He'll never fall in line with your new rules and he'll only try to wrestle the reins back into his hands. I wouldn't let this linger either. You should go ahead and handle it." He looks around the camp grounds. "So, you guys are gonna stay here and give this place a chance?"

"As much of a chance as we can," Jay says.

The three of them shake hands, promising to touch base sooner rather than later. They make their way back to the center of camp.

Rick moves over to his group and quickly surmises them of the situation.

Donna steps forward. "Are you going to slit their throats?"

The others look from her to Tyreese who is trying to understand Donna's anger and bloodlust. The small amount of time she spent with this group seems to have changed her and Tyreese isn't sure if it's for better or worse.

He steps to her cautiously. "Donna. Let them handle this. We should go." He attempts to take her arm gently but she jerks away from him.

"No. I have to see this. I have to see them die." She looks to the other men in the camp, averting her eyes from Jay and Warren. "As a matter of fact, all of you assholes should die!" She unsheathes the knife at her waist and walks over to Cy. She spits in his face before driving her knife into his stomach, satisfied to hear his muffled cries beneath the duct tape over his mouth.

Tyreese moves up behind her and forcefully grabs her wrist, applying enough pressure to make her drop the knife. He retrieves it from the ground quickly and takes her by the hand to lead her away.

"None of them should get to live after what they did to us!" She shouts.

"Donna, we're handling this. Everyone here is turning over a new leaf. Isn't that right fellas?" Jay asks.

Most of them drop their heads, ashamed of their previous actions, but mumble in agreement with Jay.

"Seems to me when you first got here, you didn't have much of a problem with it the way you and Tony were carrying on," one of the men speaks low as he faces Donna.

She sneers at him. "Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Don't I? You…"

Tyreese cuts him off. "Just leave it alone, man. Just leave it alone." He grabs Donna by the waist and practically carries her out of the camp.

"That's how they lured us in. We thought we were going to be in relationships with just one guy, but that wasn't the case," one of the women decides to speak up. "She went along with it just like I did. I thought I meant something to Cy, but I found out real quick how wrong I was when he let his buddies have their way with me." She looks around at the guilty. "I don't know how we're going to make this work."

"It's going to work, Shelley. Trust me," Warren assures her.

Herschel wants to offer the women sanctuary at the farm, but he looks in the direction Tyreese took Donna and realizes they have enough to handle as is. "I'll say a prayer for all of you, but we best be going now."

Rick nods in agreement, then moves with his group to travel back to their vehicles.

They are only a 2 or 3 miles from the farm when T-Dog takes notice of a small group of walkers moving slowly among the trees. He sits up to watch them, wondering where they are headed. As the vehicle rambles on, the trees lining the side of the road begin the thin out revealing even more walkers.

Everybody is jerked forward and then back as Daryl slams on the brakes. More than a small herd can be detected moving out of the trees on the left side of the road, crossing over to the right to join even more walkers.

Rick is driving the truck behind Daryl and looks to Michonne as they both take in the scene before them. The number of walkers almost rivals what they witnessed at the refugee camp.

"Can they make it to the farm?" Michonne asks.

"They're headed in the right direction. Let's turn around before we're spotted. At the rate they're going, we can make it to the farm before they do. Let's pray they veer off and move in a different direction," Herschel suggests.

Rick flashes his headlights at Daryl, unknowingly drawing the attention of some walkers. He puts the vehicle in reverse and turns around to take another route back to the farm.

Daryl quickly follows suit.

"This will take us a little longer but we should still make it there before those things do," Herschel says.

"But why even go back there if we know they're coming?" Beth inquires.

"Right now, we can't tell where they're headed. We'll go back to the farm and gather up as much stuff as we can just in case we have to run," Glenn relays.

That is exactly what they do once they arrive. The black cargo van left behind by Cy's group is what they use to pile in supplies….blankets, linens, pillows, clothes, toiletries, flashlights, canned goods, water, weapons, ammo, utensils, etc. They gather as much gas as they can and prepare three vehicles for travel.

Tyreese, Daryl, Glenn, and T-Dog keep watch at two vantage points by the main gate. Michonne, Sasha, and Maggie are making perimeter checks as quickly and as accurately as possible. Beth and Donna continue to gather supplies. Herschel and Rick are standing on the front porch of the main house, trying to decide what route to take should they need to evacuate.

"I don't want to even think about leaving this place. It's been in my family for generations. I'm praying those things go another way, far from here," Herschel shares.

Rick nods, understanding the older man's dilemma. "I was hoping we'd found a permanent place but maybe that just doesn't exist anymore. I keep telling myself that there has to be a way for us to make it in this world now, but we keep having to run. I don't know if we'll ever be able to stop."

"If we have to run, we may can hole up at Otis' place for a day or so. It's about 5 miles from here," Herschel suggests.

"No, if they get here, we need to put as much distance as possible between us and them. 5 miles just isn't far enough," Rick returns. "We'll have to go further out to find a place."

Just then, Maggie runs up. "Sasha and Michonne are fighting walkers by one of the rear fences. It's not a lot of them. Some got caught in the traps like before but the others keep coming."

Rick rushes down the steps to meet her. "Did they get past the fences?"

Maggie shakes her head no which makes Rick frown even deeper. That tells him that Sasha and Michonne hopped the fence in order to put the walkers down.

He picks up his pace as he runs to help, already piecing together what he is going to tell Michonne as soon as he is able. He and Maggie arrive to find Sasha slicing with a knife and Michonne skewering with her katana. The two women fight back to back but look relieved when they see Rick and Maggie coming their way.

The four of them work together to eliminate the walkers, but quickly notice that more are making their way through the woods coming directly towards them.

"We need to fall back. They're steady coming and we can't get to all of 'em. Let's go," Rick commands.

"If too many get to the fence, they'll splinter that wood. The fence is old, Rick," Maggie relays.

"That's why we had to come out and meet them. We can't let them pile up," Sasha says.

"I don't think we….." Rick is cut off as a scream fills the air.

"Beth?!" Maggie exclaims. She races to the fence, climbing over it as she runs to get to the main house, followed by Michonne, Sasha, and Rick.

They arrive at the main house but Herschel isn't on the porch where they left him so they move off towards the main gate when they see Daryl run up.

"What's going on?" He asks.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Rick returns.

A gun shot rings out and they all look in the direction of the barn. Simultaneously, they move off, making their way quickly as more shots are heard.

They arrive at the barn to find Beth and Herschel shooting at walkers who appear to be making their way from the back road near the barn. No one can be sure if it's even the same group of walkers they saw on the road before.

Daryl shakes his head as the walkers keep coming. "Time to go y'all. We can't win this."

The others agree and quickly veer off, racing for the vehicles.

"Where's Donna?" Herschel asks Beth.

"She ran off when we saw the walkers. I'll check the barn." Beth rushes off, yelling Donna's name to no avail. She rejoins her dad and follows him.

Maggie jumps into the cargo van and takes off for the main gate to pick up Glenn, T-Dog, and Tyreese. Rick, Michonne, Herschel, and Beth take the Suburban while Daryl and Sasha load into the third vehicle.

"Daryl, we can't just leave Donna," Sasha relays anxiously.

"What can we do? She ran off and I ain't gonna look for her," Daryl returns. He watches as walkers slowly start making their way toward the main house from the barn. "We just can't sit here."

They both watch as Rick pulls off. Daryl looks to Sasha, ready to do whatever she wants. She sighs heavily. "Let's go."

Daryl throws the vehicle into drive and presses forward, following Rick.

Sasha turns around to look back at the house, wondering where Donna could have ran off to.


	12. Chapter 12

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 12)

 **A/N: Sorry it has been so long since I updated this story. Hope you're still interested.**

Rick and Daryl make their way to the main entrance/exit for the farm to see the black cargo van parked and idling with Maggie behind the wheel while Glenn and T-Dog argue with Donna and Tyreese. Rick slams his way out of his vehicle and confronts them.

"We need to get the fuck outta here and you think you got time to stand here and argue?!" He demands.

"They're not listening to me. We need to go back to Jay and warn them about what's going on. We can't just let them be sitting ducks," Donna states.

"If you were paying attention you'd notice that the walkers are here, not there. They're not anywhere near that camp. I'm not wasting any gas or time going back in that direction." Rick eyes Tyreese before he stomps back to the vehicle, throws it into drive and revs the engine.

The others get the picture loud and clear as Tyreese opens the gate while Glenn, T-Dog, and Donna pile into the van. Tyreese joins them shortly and the three vehicles move out onto the road, traveling in the opposite direction of the walkers.

Beth can't help but to look back, watching the farm with an expression of longing on her face. Herschel reaches over and squeezes her hand as he understands more than anyone.

Michonne watches Rick's profile, detecting the anger and despair rolling through him. She can't help but feel a certain way about losing another home but at least she still has him. She reaches over and places a hand on top of one of his on the steering wheel. She offers him a smile when he looks over at her.

Rick can feel himself relax as he looks over at Michonne. _Everything is going to be ok_ he tells himself. _I have to make it ok…for her._

They travel at least 30 miles before they encounter a building that looks like it might be habitable. They take care of the few scattered walkers and half of them make their way inside to check the place and clear it if needed.

An hour later, they are settled and everyone has their assignments for the night. Daryl tries to grab Sasha's arm but she shakes him off as she moves over to confront Donna.

"You ran off and left Beth to fight those walkers on her own. What if Herschel hadn't been around? What if something had happened to her because you didn't stay to help her?" Sasha demands as she stands in front of the taller woman.

"She had the same opportunity as me to get out of there. I ran to Tyreese where I knew I'd be safe," Donna returns.

Sasha scoffs and looks down at her feet as if she is trying to rein in her anger. "I actually contemplated sticking around to look for you, risking not only my life but Daryl's too and you just ran off like it was nothing. That says to me that you could care less about what happens to us."

"And who cares about what happens to me?! You, Michonne, Beth, and Maggie…y'all left me with those men. Y'all left me with rapists!" Donna yells.

"We left you! You practically ran to them you were so freaking excited to see fresh meat. And if you want to get real with this, I should kick your ass for telling them about the farm in the first place, you…." Sasha jumps toward Donna but Daryl is there to grab her.

"Baby, calm down. We don't need this right now," Daryl tells her.

Herschel speaks up. "Daryl is right. What's done is done and we can't change it so let's just let it be."

"We need to concentrate on what's going on right now," Rick supplies.

Donna eyes Sasha with scorn. "I'm going outside to keep watch with Tyreese." She flounces off in a huff.

"I swear I need to beat her ass just one good time and it'll straighten her up," Sasha suggests.

"I doubt it," Michonne adds. "But it sure would be nice to find out." She smiles, knowing that comment would get a smile and a laugh from her friend.

Sasha, Daryl, Rick, Herschel, Beth and Maggie join in a slight stint of laughter, enjoying the light moment.

They have a small dinner of canned goods, crackers, and warm soda before turning in for the night. Michonne, Rick, Sasha and Daryl will relieve Tyreese, T-Dog, and Glenn in a few hours for watch duty.

The next morning, they have a meeting trying to devise a plan. T-Dog makes the suggestion of maybe finding and fortifying an apartment building somehow. The only problem with that is they'd have to travel closer to the city and Rick would rather stay in rural areas. Glenn isn't comfortable staying where they are so it is decided that they would move on and try to find another place in a day or so.

Two weeks on the road is too long for Rick. Feeling exposed makes him nervous and the bad dreams have started again whenever he allows himself to sleep. Michonne can detect the changes in him and feels powerless to do anything about it. They make camp near a small lake and hope to make it through the night once again.

Daryl decides to take the time to hunt and see if he can scrounge up some fresh game. Rick and T-Dog join him as a means to help out and to learn. Michonne, Sasha, and Glenn keep watch while the others secure their small camp area as best as they can.

Unbeknownst to anyone in the camp, they are being watched and watched closely. Glenn sees the slight figure first as the woman makes her way out of the woods walking towards them.

"Put your hands up and stop where you are," Glenn tells her.

Sasha and Michonne point their weapons as well, ensuring the stranger knows they mean business.

The woman complies slowly. "I don't mean any harm. I just….need some water and some food if you can spare it."

"Are you out here alone?" Sasha asks.

The woman only nods then jumps as Glenn demands if she has any weapons. "I have a gun, but I don't know how to use it."

Michonne is not sure if the stranger is genuine or trying to run some sort of game on them. "Take off the backpack, remove your weapon and lay everything on the ground in front of you." Once the woman does as she is told, Michonne instructs her to back up as Glenn goes out to retrieve the items. He checks the bag and the weapon and gives the ok to allow her into the camp.

Glenn and Michonne watch the woman closely as Sasha goes to inform the others and to get the female some water and a can of mixed vegetables.

Maggie joins them as the woman devours the food and water.

"I know you don't know me, but I'm just trying to make it like you are. We…I mean…." She stops as three loaded guns are pointed at her.

Sasha thinks about what she said and immediately starts looking through her scope at the surrounding area.

"What the hell do you mean _we_? You said it was just you," Michonne tells her.

"I'm sorry. We just wanted to be sure you were decent people first. You actually gave me food and water instead of killing me, taking what I had or turning me away. Everybody's not so generous nowadays." She sighs as she looks behind her. "They're hiding in the woods."

"Tell them to come out….. _now_ ," Sasha states.

The woman gives a slight hand signal and moments later a man, a woman, and a teenager come ambling out of the woods.

Glenn looks to Maggie and whispers, "Great" under his breath.

They stop just behind the first woman and she orders them to remove their supplies and weapons and to put their hands up.

"I'm Karen. This is Shane, Jacqui, and Noah. We're all that's left of our group and we're just trying to survive. That's all. I didn't want to mislead you but that's the way it is today. You can never be too careful."

"You're right about that, but there's more than just us you have to deal with. We're going to have to keep your supplies and weapons until you're deemed safe so to speak," Michonne tells them cringing inwardly as she knows Rick is not going to like this at all.

"We understand," the guy named Shane responds. "If it makes you feel any better, we can set up a camp away from yours just…"

"No, it's better that you stay close so we can keep an eye on you," Glenn states.

Maggie volunteers to take them back to the others so all of them can have a meal and some water.

Later that night, Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog return with enough game for everyone except they weren't expecting to find four more mouths to feed. Michonne waits for Rick's reaction but was surprised when Shane recognized him.

"Rick? Rick Grimes?" Shane stands from his sitting position, his eyes wide and unbelieving.

Rick passes off his supplies to Daryl, eyeing the stranger warily. "Shane?"

"Holy shit man you sure are a welcome sight right now," Shane says jokingly. The two men shake hands, laughing and end up hugging each other they are so happy to see the other alive.

"It's nice to know someone else from home made it out ok," Rick says. He looks to Michonne first, then the others. "Shane was my partner."

"Man, you don't know how much better I feel actually finding someone else I know. My cousin Karen here was visiting from Florida when everything went haywire," Shane informs.

Tyreese perks up at the mention of Florida. "What part of Florida? We're from Jacksonville."

"Really? I was in Miami for about a year and then I moved to Destin," Karen tells him.

"Well, isn't that nice?" Donna adds with a little sarcasm.

Tyreese frowns slightly but gives Karen a warm smile which she readily returns.

Shane and Rick continue to catch up as the others get to know more about Karen, Jacqui, and Noah, the latter two being recognized as siblings.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 _The sun is so bright I have to squint my eyes as I look toward the heavens, appreciating how white the clouds are in contrast to the blue of the sky. It is a beautiful day and I'm glad to be alive. A breeze sweeps in and I close my eyes as it caresses my skin softly. I breathe in deeply, smiling as her scent drifts to me._

 _She steps in beside me, having no idea of what I am looking at or enjoying. I know she can sense my contentment and just wants to share it. I wish we could stay like this forever as she reaches over and grabs my hand with a soft squeeze._

 _I look over clearly expecting to see…..the image of a tall dark haired woman quickly fades and standing at my side is a petite, dark skinned woman with the most beautiful smile in the world. Michonne. She turns to face me and I can't help it as my eyes travel downward as they are prone to do whenever I am in her presence. Her lips, her neck, her breasts, her…Oh my God! I drop to my knees in front of her, my body suddenly quivering, my eyes disbelieving as I take in her protruding belly. Is this real? I reach up slowly with shaking hands. I need to touch her, to touch them…._

Rick is murmuring in his sleep again, rousing Michonne from her slumber. They decided to sleep in the cargo van if only for a little privacy and she was just drifting off when she heard him. She turns her body towards his to watch him as he tends to get loud at times. She jumps as he pops up to a sitting position, looking around anxiously.

"Rick?"

He turns to look at her and his hands move directly to her stomach. "Your….your stomach. You….you were pregnant. We were having a baby."

She can barely make out his face in the dim light from the night's moon shining through the van's windows but she can see the moisture in his eyes clearly. "It's ok. It was just a dream…that's all."

He drops back to the floor of the van, covering his eyes with his hands. "What is happening to me? These dreams are starting to take a toll." He sighs heavily.

"We've just got to find a place and we will. Things will get better. I know they will," Michonne assures him.

"I haven't thought about kids in ages. Why would I dream something like that now? Lori and I gave up on that idea years ago."

"Gave up? What do you mean?" Michonne asks.

"We tried….to have kids but it just never worked out for us. We had miscarriage after miscarriage and finally the pain was just too much and we didn't want to put ourselves through that anymore," Rick shares.

Michonne reaches for one of his hands. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"It's fine." He looks over at her still wondering why he would have that particular dream and why it seemed so real. "I always wanted to be a father but I know it's just not possible now."

Silence fills the van as Michonne doesn't know how to respond. She never considered children and now is certainly not the time to even contemplate it.

"Well, we've been careful and so far so good, right?" She asks.

Rick nods, still contemplating his dream. "Let's try to get some sleep. It'll be time to relieve Tyreese, T-Dog, and Shane before we know it."

More time passes and Michonne realizes there may be more to Rick's dream than they thought. She quickly devises a plan and enlists Glenn and Maggie for a run. She conveniently does this while Rick, Daryl, Shane, and T-Dog are hunting. Luckily, they didn't have to travel far and Maggie was familiar with the area. They find a pharmacy quickly and Michonne ventures off from the couple to find exactly what she needs.

They return to the drafty, rundown house they have been staying in for the past two nights to find the hunting crew already there. Everyone seems to be in a festive mood as Shane relays another story about a call he and Rick received as sheriff's deputies.

Michonne kisses Rick soundly as she takes a seat at his side, accepting the bowl of food he had saved for her. She notes what looks like roasted squirrel and smiles as she realizes they had another successful hunt.

The next day, they were packing up and running again as more walkers started ambling out of the woods and toward the house. Michonne is disappointed as she hasn't had an opportunity to do what needs to be done. All she can do at this point is continue to pray that her suspicions are wrong.

They come across an RV campground and proceed to set up for the night. Daryl remembers the cable wire technique that was used back at the camp where Jay and Warren are and enlists Noah and Glenn to help him. He believes it will add more security to the camp and at least give them a heads up if walkers happen to descend upon them at any time.

Rick is helping Tyreese and T-Dog with watch duty, so Michonne sees a chance to go off on her own and find out what's going on with her.

She finds a quiet spot by the small lake, checking the area cautiously before she proceeds to take the test. Only a matter of minutes later, the truth is blaring out at her. The test revealed that she is indeed pregnant. A snapped twig brings her back to the present and she hastily throws everything into her backpack and returns to the camp area quickly.

Later that night, she can't sleep thinking of what is happening inside her body right now. _How can I even think about bringing a baby into this world?_ Rick is still on duty and she opted to sleep in the back of the van just to keep away from prying eyes. She knows no one can detect what could be going on with her, no one besides Rick but she wants to be on her own all the same.

She pulls her backpack to her side and reaches for the blue pack of pills she procured. _The morning after pill._ She's not even sure if they will work as she is sure she is way past the morning after phase. She then looks at the white bottle of pills she took and wonders what she truly wants. _Prenatal vitamins. Am I fooling myself? We can't have a baby right now…..can we?_

She should talk with Rick. She knows that but she can't seem to form the words to even tell him…not with everything they're going through right now. They're moving from place to place, scavenging for food and supplies…..she can't put all of their lives and hers in jeopardy by having a baby. _What if I die trying to give birth?_ She sighs heavily and starts to pray once again.

The next morning, she leaves Rick sleeping in the van as she returns to the lake, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. The tears she has been holding at bay slowly start to stream down her face and she continues to cry for the decision she knows she needs to make. She cries so long and so heavily that she makes herself sick. She is on her knees at the water's edge when Rick walks up. _Oh God…_

He rushes to her side asking if she is ok, noting her dry heaves and her tear stained face. He sees her backpack and retrieves it, looking for something to wipe her face and her mouth. His hand freezes as he encounters several packs of pills, two bottles, and a couple of pregnancy tests.

Michonne doesn't even have the strength to grab her backpack away from him as Rick pulls the items out one by one.

He drops to a sitting position on the ground, looking from the items to her and back again. "Is there something you need to tell me?"

 **A/N: I promise I'll be working on the next chapter immediately.**


	13. Chapter 13

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 13)

 **A/N: Thanks for the continued support. I promised the next update wouldn't be as long and I'm glad I was able to come through. Hope is on the horizon for our group.**

Michonne wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and drops onto her folded legs to look at him. "I….I'm pregnant."

Rick holds up the blue pack of morning after pills and asks, "Are you?"

"Look at the pack, Rick. I haven't touched it. I haven't taken anything," she assures him.

"But you were thinking about it? You thought about taking them in hopes of….getting rid of….the baby?" He barely gets the words out, hoping and praying that he is wrong.

"I don't know what to do. Look around. We aren't exactly in the best circumstances to bring a baby into this world," she states.

He drops his head and nods sadly. "So that's what you're telling me? You're telling me you'd rather….not have my baby?"

"I'm telling you I'm scared to have your baby. I'm scared of the unknown, what could happen to me, to the baby, to you." She sighs. "But most of all…I'm telling you that I could never hurt you that way. I know what this means to you and regardless of my feelings and my fears, I wouldn't be that selfish."

He lets out a breath that ends with a slight whistle, then grabs the white bottle of pills and reads, "Prenatal vitamins." He holds the bottle up. "So, this is our choice?"

"Are you ready to be a father?" She asks.

He swallows nervously, tears welling in his eyes. "More than anythang. Are you ready to be a mother?"

She gives him a slight smile. "Not at all, but I guess I've got a little time to try and prepare myself."

" _We_ have a little time to try and prepare ourselves." He drops the bottle into the backpack and crawls over to her, taking her face into his hands. "Thank you."

She looks into his eyes and says, "Just promise me something…please."

"Anythang."

"Don't dream that we're having twins, ok?" She requests with a smile.

He smiles with her then moves in for a kiss but she turns her head.

"Rick, I just threw up."

"And I could care less," he says as he pulls her toward him and kisses her soundly.

They remain by the lake for another half hour discussing their impending parenthood and whether or not they are going to share the news with the others. They opt to wait, hoping they can find a place within the next month or two or even sooner. Neither of them can voice it, but they both wonder about the likelihood of the baby's survival.

They walk back to the camp, hand in hand, unaware that Shane is watching them curiously and closely.

Later that week, Rick is standing by one of the vehicles with a map of the area spread out on the hood. He looks to Daryl, Tyreese, and Shane as they try to organize their next move and what direction to travel in.

Shane seems a bit distracted as he watches Michonne and Sasha walk towards the lake. He slowly brings his attention back to the task at hand and gives a nervous laugh as he notices Daryl was watching him watch Sasha and Michonne. "Hey man, I didn't mean anything by it. You see a couple of beautiful women, you look, right?"

Daryl remains silent as Rick looks between the two and they all return their attention to the map.

Several moments later, Rick is moving towards the entrance to check in with T-Dog, Glenn, and Noah who are on watch duty when Shane detains him.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" He asks.

Rick agrees with a nod.

"I don't mean to pry or anything, but I thought you were married…..to a white chick," Shane relays.

Rick sighs as he remembers he and Shane got along pretty well during their careers, but the guy could be a little insensitive from time to time. "I was married. Her name was Lori and she died because she got scratched by a walker. Anything else?"

"Hey, listen…I'm sorry. I just see you with Michonne and it makes me wonder…..." Shane trails off as if in deep thought.

Rick tries not to get agitated but he can't help it. He places his hands at his waist and looks Shane directly in the eyes. "Makes you wonder what exactly?"

"I'm not trying to disrespect you. It's just that….I lost someone too. You probably don't remember. Her name was Andrea. We were together for almost 3 years. She didn't make it." Shane sighs. "I just….she was it for me, you know. I thought we were gonna get married and have kids and then this shit happened and she's not here anymore. I look at you with Michonne and you look at her like there was never anyone else in your life. I just wonder if I'll find someone like that again."

Rick immediately feels like a heel for thinking he was gonna have to punch Shane for talking about Michonne and for the fact that he has no idea what to say to him. He still ponders pinching himself awake because he never thought he'd love someone like he loves Michonne. That love makes him feel guilty that he can't provide her with a home or that he doesn't even know how or where their baby will be born. He shakes his head as he doesn't want to dwell on any of that. _She wouldn't want me to._

"Shane, I'm sorry about Andrea. I know how hard that can be and I can't tell you how to feel or that it gets easier because I just don't know. Give yourself some more time and….maybe try to think of something else right now," Rick suggests as he cringes inwardly, feeling like that was the worst advice ever.

Shane gives him a slight smile and offers his hand for a handshake when several shots ring out at the entrance of the campgrounds. The two of them take off running in that direction only to find T-Dog, Glenn, and Noah shooting at walkers making their way out of the woods and towards the entrance.

Rick surmises right then and there that they should pack up and leave. The small group of walkers could be handled, but why waste the ammo when the gunshots would only draw more of them. He pulls his python and fires off two shots, ending two walkers as he races to Glenn's side. "Try to hold them off. I'll gather everybody so we can get the hell out of here."

Glenn nods as he instructs T-Dog and Noah to keep shooting. Shane stays to help them while Rick runs back to the others.

Relief washes through Rick as he sees everyone working together to get their things loaded and the vehicles ready for travel. He shakes his head as the panic really had a hold of him and he simply forgot that everyone knows the routine. He searches for Michonne and frowns when he sees her racing towards the entrance, holding her sword out in front of her.

"Where are you going?" He shouts.

"They need help, I…."

Rick cuts her off. "No! Go to the truck and meet me at the entrance." His head jerks up with the sound of more gunfire coming from the rear of the camp. His intent was to go back and help the others in front but realizes they just need to leave as quickly as possible.

Daryl is firing his crossbow as Sasha is firing her rifle at walkers entering the camp from the surrounding wooded area in the back. Luckily, there is a slight incline and majority of the walkers are clumsily falling down and breaking a limb which makes them immobile and a minimal threat.

"Everyone! Get to the vehicles now!" Rick instructs as he places a hand at Michonne's elbow and propels them toward the Suburban.

"We can take care of them. We don't have to rush off again," Michonne relays to Rick. "I'm tired of running."

Rick sighs heavily. "Babe, I know but we just can't take any chances right now."

They arrive at the vehicle and Michonne is silent as Rick opens the passenger door and ushers her inside before taking the driver's seat. Beth, Herschel, and Maggie arrive and climb in quickly.

Daryl, Sasha, Karen, and Jacqui pull off in another vehicle while Tyreese and Donna follow behind them in the cargo van retrieving Glenn, Shane, Noah, and T-Dog.

More walkers had arrived and they couldn't avoid connecting with some of them on their way out, blood and fragments coating the vehicles.

That night, they parked on the side of the road while one person in each vehicle kept watch and the others slept. The next day, they were traveling again, siphoning supplies and gas from any and every abandoned vehicle they happened upon. That wasn't many so they knew they would have to find something sooner rather than later.

Tyreese notices the rusted silos and surmises there might be a farm and a house nearby so he veers off the road to have a look. The others follow accordingly and they soon come upon a burnt shell of what looked like a spacious home.

Herschel instructs Rick to drive back to the silos as there could be something of use stored in them and maybe even room enough for them to sleep in safely for the night. Rick does as he is told, the others falling in line behind him.

They branch off into groups to clear the silos and keep watch by the vehicles, dispatching only four or five walkers at most. Of course, the silos were almost bare but there was plenty of hay in one of them and T-Dog found a half full gas can.

Tyreese, Sasha, and Daryl decide to take first watch while the others spread out and try to get some sleep.

Glenn assists Rick in getting a bale of hay up to the second level of the silo where he and Michonne spread it out and throw blankets on top for a makeshift bed for the night. The former and Maggie do the same in a corner of the silo on the lower level sharing that space with Beth and Herschel.

T-Dog, Shane, Karen, Jacqui, Noah, and Donna spread out in the silo next door and everyone is accommodated if only for a while.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Michonne moans in her sleep as a sensation hits her making her gasp as her eyes pop open.

"Shhh…you can't be too loud," Rick whispers by her ear.

They fell asleep in a spoon position, her back to his chest and now his hand is down the front of her pants, fingering her gently as his other arm cradles her head.

She purses her lips together in an effort to keep as quiet as possible, then moves her hand to his forearm as she starts to rock and rotate her hips. She can feel him harden against her and closes her eyes, allowing him to take her away if only for a moment.

Her body responds to his touch in record time as she covers her mouth with one hand and clutches his arm with the other, continuing to move against his hand rhythmically. Time seems to stand still as she experiences the glorious release of orgasm, tiny sparks shooting through her pulsating and throbbing core.

Rick smiles as he splays his hand against her and rubs gently, allowing her to come down softly and easily. He kisses her neck, tonguing her flesh and closes his eyes as her hand comes up to caress his head.

Michonne drops her other hand from her mouth. "I didn't realize how much I needed that. Oh, that was so good." She stretches then turns to face him, missing his hand immediately but satisfied when he rests it against her bottom.

He searches her eyes, proud of the starry look he put there. "Glad I could be of service."

"Now tell me how to service you, my love," she whispers before kissing him lightly.

"We should really get some sleep," Rick reminds her.

"We will….afterwards," she says as she starts to nuzzle his neck.

Rick smiles as her hand travels down to his already swollen member and caresses him accordingly.

The next morning, Michonne is up early and decides to allow Rick to continue resting. She smiles as she recalls how explosive his release was and how he drifted right off to sleep. _He needs this_ she surmises as she looks down on him with love shining in her eyes. Her hand rests on her stomach for just a moment and then she makes her way down to the lower level, greeting Herschel, Beth, and Maggie.

"Glenn on watch already?" She asks Maggie.

"Yeah, he's with T-Dog and Noah," Maggie answers as she and Beth step in with Michonne and follow her outside.

It appears the women of the group have the same idea as they meet Jacqui, Karen, and Donna and venture off to a secluded spot, all wanting and needing to relieve themselves and complete some form of morning hygiene. Michonne remembers Sasha had watch duty last night and assumes she and Daryl are still sleeping.

Half of them keep watch while the others branch off and take care of business, then the roles are reversed and everyone is relieved and as fresh as their supplies allow. They make their way back safely and partake of breakfast with the others. Maggie takes food to Glenn, T-Dog, and Noah. Michonne was just about to do the same for Rick when she notices him making his way to her with a smile. He accepts the bowl and leads her outside.

"Where are we going?" She asks.

Rick smiles. "Nowhere. I just want to prolong our alone time. Last night was incredible to say we were still fully dressed."

Michonne blushes as she looks around to ensure no one could hear their conversation. "Incredible is a pretty good description as I put you to sleep just like a newborn baby."

He blushes with her and is basically rendered speechless with her truthfulness.

She watches intently as he sets the bowl down on the hood of one of the vehicles, utilizing a bottle of water to wash his face and brush his teeth. Her smile is all knowing as he pulls her to him and plants his mouth on hers. She can taste the mint from the toothpaste which only drives her to want more.

He lifts his head after a few seconds and looks around cautiously. "I sure did need that. Now, I can get my day started." He retrieves the bowl and offers it to her. When she declines, he reminds her that she needs to eat more.

"I'm fine, Rick. You have to take care of yourself too so eat…please." She smiles as he obeys readily and asks if she thinks they can make the silos work for one more night before moving on. They converse smoothly and quietly, deciding to remain where they are unless circumstances deemed otherwise.

Rick finishes his breakfast and kisses her one last time as they part ways. He goes to check in with Glenn, T-Dog, and Noah while Michonne joins the others.

Duties have been decided for the day. Rick, Tyreese, Daryl, and Shane will hunt for tonight's dinner, Glenn, T-Dog, and Noah will continue watch duty, Maggie, Jacqui, Beth and Donna will stay at the silos and inventory the supplies, and Herschel, Michonne, Sasha, and Karen will scout the nearby woods for some natural remedies Herschel would like to procure. Rick is not happy with that but relents. He knows if he protests too much, others will notice and it will upset Michonne. Above all, he wants to keep her as calm as possible.

They all branch off and plan to return within two or three hours, maybe less. Herschel is excited to share that he learned Jacqui was going to nursing school. He believes between the two of them they could handle any medical emergencies that might arise for the group. The hope and prayer is that knowledge won't have to be utilized but it's good to know they have some experience if needed. Michonne can't help thinking both of them will be valuable to her and Rick in the coming months.

The surrounding woods are quiet and damp but they make their way cautiously, hoping they will find something of use.

Meanwhile, Rick, Tyreese, Daryl, and Shane have had a little luck with hunting. Daryl carries some squirrels while Shane carries a couple of rabbits, all of them conversing about their next destination. They come upon some train tracks and attempt to cross over only to realize they are on a hill which drops down to a creek. They all gaze out over the spread before them and can't believe their eyes. It's a prison, fenced in completely and possibly secure if not for the walkers ambling inside.

"What a waste," Daryl offers.

"If only we had a place like that. The fences could keep the walkers out," Tyreese shares.

Rick is quiet as he takes in the scene below them. He canvasses the prison slowly, calculating the possibilities of them eliminating the walkers and making this place their new sanctuary. He looks to Shane. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Shane nods slowly. "There's no telling what type of supplies we could find in that place if we get inside."

"Are you two serious? Look at all those walkers. Do we even have the ammo to clear them out?" Tyreese asks.

"Only one way to find out. We do inventory and see if we can find more," Rick suggests. He turns to look at each of them. "I think it's doable."

"Let's take it back to the others. We gotta do something. We can't keep moving out here like this. Winter's coming," Shane states.

Rick can't help but feel a little excitement and maybe even hope. A prison would have a cafeteria which might result in food, an infirmary which could result in medicine, a car pool and maybe some gasoline. There's no telling what else they might find. "This could be a gold mine. We can't let this go to waste."

A little over an hour later, they have the vehicles packed and ready to go. Rick, Daryl, Tyreese, and Shane tell the others in detail what they found and what they think it could mean for the group. The others don't see the need in arguing or asking a lot of questions. They all know they need a place and they need it right now. Shane took the time to map out a direct path to the prison, so they all pile into the vehicles and start another venture into the unknown.


	14. Chapter 14

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 14)

A/N: **Thank you for the reviews, the follows, and the faves. You readers make writing so much fun and worthwhile although I do get a lot of inspiration from our awesome couple Richonne.**

The three vehicles come to a slow stop in the wooded area surrounding the prison. They all exit quietly and wait patiently as Rick and Glenn use binoculars to see what area of the outside fence is safest to use as an entry point. The creek is on the other side and there are more walkers inside the fence than outside at the moment.

Shane, T-Dog, Daryl, and Tyreese start to unload the supplies and weapons they will need and they all convene in front of the vehicles to devise a plan.

"I think a small group should stay here with the vehicles as a look out," Rick suggests. He looks to Michonne. "You can head that up."

She gasps and was about to comment when T-Dog speaks up among the low grumbles and protests of the others.

"Hell no. She's coming with us. We need her. She's one of the strongest."

Michonne purses her lips and lifts herself to her full height before her eyes reconnect with Rick's. She is glad T-Dog spoke up even if he is unaware of why Rick wants her to stay behind.

"T's right. We need her with us," Glenn reiterates.

Rick sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration. He drops his hands to his side and Michonne can see it in his eyes that he is ready to fight for what he thinks should happen. A flinch of his nose spurs her to speak hurriedly.

"We'll do better together. You know that. Where you go, I go." She eyes him intently, hoping he will relent and realize that he does need her.

Herschel moves to Michonne's side and looks directly at Rick. "Let's not argue about it. I say we should all go together. It's safer that way."

"Daddy's right. As huge as that place is, we all need to pitch in and help clear it," Beth states.

"We've never done anything like this before so we shouldn't depend on just a few to do all the work," Sasha adds.

Rick turns his back to hide his frustration, facing the prison. After a few moments, he sighs and says, "Alright. Let's load up."

The others spring into action, grabbing backpacks and duffle bags filled with supplies, weapons, and ammo as they prepare to make their way to the prison.

Michonne reaches back to grab the hilt of her sword as she steps in with the others.

Rick makes his way to her side. "You're with me."

She gives him a simple nod and prays he is not too upset with the decision the group made. She puts the thought away for the present, concentrating on the task before them.

The closer they move towards the prison, the more walkers they are able to detect inside. They make their way to the fence and Glenn cuts his way through quickly and accurately. The others keep watch to ensure no walkers are making their way out of the woods.

"Everybody, get in quickly," Daryl instructs.

Everyone crawls through and takes a breath as Tyreese uses cable wire to secure the cut in the fence. They make their way to the entrance of the prison yard that is full of walkers.

The listless corpses suddenly become animated when one of them notices the several warm bodies on the other side of the fence. The noise of metal rattling makes Donna cringe as the walkers practically throw themselves at the fence, trying to get to what they consider their food supply.

Shane takes a long piece of pipe and starts thrusting it into the walkers' head through the fence. Some of the others take note and grab a weapon to start doing the same, anything to start the process of clearing the prison yard.

Rick looks up the hill to the gate leading to the actual buildings of the prison. There is a crowd of walkers in that area as well and he surmises that he has to get to that gate and close it securely to prevent more of them from flooding into the main yard.

Noah, Beth, Karen, Donna, and Jacqui continue to kill the walkers on the fence while Rick, Michonne, Daryl, Sasha, Shane, Tyreese, T-Dog, Glenn, Maggie, and Herschel consider a plan to continue clearing the yard.

Daryl, Sasha, Tyreese, Shane, Glenn, and Maggie will branch off into teams of two and help pick off walkers from the guard towers. Herschel and T-Dog will take aim from the ground. That leaves Rick and Michonne.

"I'll go for the gate," Rick states as his eyes rove up the hill to the courtyard once again.

"I'm coming with you," Michonne tells him.

Rick eyes her, but remains quiet as he adjusts the rifle on his back and grabs a pair of chain linked cable hooks in order to secure the gate. He waits patiently by her side as the teams of two make their way to the guard towers and start shooting the walkers from above.

Herschel takes a moment to look at both of them. "Y'all be careful. You ready?"

Rick steps to the gate in front of Michonne and gives Herschel a nod. Michonne adjusts her grip on her sword, rolling her shoulders to loosen her muscles and gives a nod as well.

Herschel opens the gate and they move into the main yard and immediately start cutting down walkers. Rick with a long hunting knife and Michonne with her sword. Between the two of them and those in the guard towers, the walkers are falling down faster than they imagined.

Rick reaches the gate, using his booted foot to kick a walker back inside as it was making its way out, and secures the gate quickly. Michonne continues to fight as Rick opens a door to a guard tower, then grabs her by the arm and pulls her inside. They join Maggie and Glenn who are actually smiling as they dispense of the walkers one after the other.

Michonne rests against the tower wall and looks out over the yard, allowing herself to relax for just a moment.

Between the three guard towers, Herschel and T-Dog shooting from the ground, and the others picking them off through the fence, the yard is soon strewn with decayed walker corpses. They have actually secured the prison yard.

Michonne reaches forward and brushes Rick's forearm lightly. When he turns back to look at her, she offers him a small uncertain smile.

Facing forward again, he places his rifle against the guardrail, then turns toward her and pulls her in for a hug. "We did it."

She nods as she wraps her arms around him, holding her sword out and away from his body. "We did it."

Maggie and Glenn smile at the couple, then share a look of their own before leaning in and giving each other a sound kiss.

They continue to work as long as they have the daylight. Shane, Glenn, and T-Dog rush back to bring the vehicles out of the woods and into the prison yard while the others work to pile the walker bodies into one giant heap. The plan is to burn them at a later time.

Rick and Tyreese check the perimeter several times, both surmising that the fences are safe and will hold for the time being.

Night comes quickly and they build a small fire and sit around enjoying a relaxing dinner. The group actually feels safer than they have felt in a long time. Michonne watches quietly as Rick only finishes a portion of his meal and gives the remainder to her. She knows not to protest as others are already looking on curiously.

He soon gets up and starts checking the perimeter once again. Michonne sighs, planning to assist him as soon as she is done with dinner.

Herschel looks from one to the other and knows something is going on with Rick and Michonne but concludes not to interfere unless he deems it necessary. "Bethy, why don't you sing a song for us?"

"No one wants to hear, Daddy," Beth returns.

Noah perks up with a smile. "I do."

Beth blushes as she looks at the other teenager, suddenly growing confident knowing that Noah would like to hear her sing. She clears her throat and begins to sing softly.

The others smile as they listen, honestly enjoying Beth's singing voice.

Michonne relaxes even more as having a full stomach, a secure place to sleep for the night, and listening to Beth's singing manages to lull her right to sleep, her plan to assist Rick soon forfeited. Her last thought is that she wishes Rick's arms were surrounding her. She is completely undisturbed as the others converse and socialize through the night.

Shane wanders off to help Rick, Jacqui and T-Dog talk about what they were doing when the outbreak happened, Tyreese and Karen talk about Florida as Donna looks on, Glenn, Maggie and Herschel talk about what they might find inside the prison, Beth and Noah talk about music and shows they were into before the turn, and Daryl and Sasha are in one of the guard towers keeping watch.

The next morning, Michonne pops awake with a gasp almost sure she was dreaming about walkers.

"Good morning. You've been out for a while. Rick wanted me to keep an eye on you. Make sure you're alright. I told him you were just exhausted," Herschel suggests.

Michonne nods and stretches lazily, looking around for the others. "It is a good morning. We made it through another night. Where is everybody?"

"Well, Daryl and Sasha are in one of the vehicles getting some sleep, Noah, Beth, and Jacqui are keeping watch, Donna, Maggie, and Karen are gonna attempt to burn the walker bodies, and the others…..Rick, T-Dog, Tyreese, Glenn, and Shane….well they're clearing the courtyard," Herschel relays.

"Without me?!" Michonne jumps to a stand and makes a move towards the hill leading to the courtyard.

"He wants you to stay safe and if you barge in on them now, you'll risk his safety," Herschel states. "It's best that we just sit tight for a moment. We can help by picking them off through the fence if you just need to do something."

She sighs heavily while lifting up on her toes trying to see what could be going on at the top of the hill. She and Herschel move in that direction and she is soon relieved to see Rick and others moving walker bodies into a pile. The courtyard has obviously been cleared.

"Good morning," she shouts.

Rick looks toward her and smiles. He takes in her sparkling eyes, her bright smile and notes that the rest did her a lot of good. "Good morning. Come on in."

She and Herschel move inside and start to help with the bodies after exchanging greetings with everyone. They also notice that there is a smaller courtyard off the main one and it is filled with walkers as well. Just something else they will have to take care of.

For the next two days, they continue to clear the outside of the prison and dispose of the bodies by burning them in small piles. On the third day, they attempt to push inside with two teams. Team 1 consists of Shane, Daryl, Sasha, and Tyreese and Team 2 consists of Rick, Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, and T-Dog. They push inside Cellblock C and only encounter a small number of walkers. The remainder of the undead are locked inside their cells and are quickly put down through the bars.

The group is more than happy to finally be inside the prison and making leeway in organizing it into an actual sanctuary and possible home. Everyone pitches in and does their part to make the cellblock more habitable while a team of at least three is on watch duty at all times. Over the next week, they take their time exploring….first searching out the cafeteria and what food supplies may be available.

Moving into unchartered parts of the prison was risky but they were able to push their way through and find exactly what they were looking for. They are beyond happy to actually have a surplus of food for the first time since the farm. Next, they locate the infirmary and pull supplies from there as well.

Michonne drops onto the lower bunk of their cell with a yawn. "I think this is the best sleep I've gotten in weeks."

"Well, you need your rest, right? I think you should take it easy out there as well," Rick suggests.

She sits up slowly, realizing that this talk was coming sooner rather than later. "Rick, nothing has changed. I still have to fight just as before. You have to know that."

He turns to face her, a scowl evident on his face. "Everything _has_ changed, Michonne. Our baby comes first no matter what."

She sighs. "I know the baby comes first and I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize him or her but I…"

"Fighting walkers, lifting those bodies…that's jeopardizing the baby," Rick returns.

"Well, what would you have me do? Nothing? I can't just sit back and let you take all the risk. We're in this together, remember? We both have to survive," she reminds him.

"Your survival comes before mine. I…." He trails off as she stands up and cups his face in her hands.

"Rick, I need you now more than ever, so it's not about whose survival comes first. We have to do this together. That's the only way it'll work. Our baby deserves both of us and that's exactly what he's going to get." She kisses him soundly warranting no argument.

He gives her a reluctant smile, knowing that she is right and that she would never do anything to harm their child. He just can't help the urge to lock her away and keep her safe no matter what. He closes his eyes as he rests his forehead against hers. "Just promise me you're going to be careful."

"I always am. I promise," she assures.

"Come on. Let's go see what Noah and T-Dog did with the showers." He grabs her by the hand and leads her in that direction.

Meanwhile, Donna continues to observe just how close Tyreese and Karen are becoming. She frowns as the two of them are supposedly checking the ammo inventory to garner how soon they will need to plan for a run. She can't help wondering why Tyreese didn't ask her or even Sasha to help him. _Why did he ask her? You know why._ She continues her inner dialogue as she watches them, trying to devise a plan before she loses Tyreese to this newcomer.

She can't help but think of the time she spent in Cy's camp and the things she had to endure to satisfy those men. She knows what men like and she knows that Tyreese is no exception. The thought that enters her mind should turn her stomach but if she is honest with herself, she got used to the acts she had to complete and that led to her even liking them. All she has to do is convince Karen and she knows Tyreese will fall in line. _What man wouldn't?_ Satisfied with her plan, she moves off waiting for an opportunity to speak with Karen alone.

Her chance comes as some of them are gathering together for dinner. She steps in line with Karen and asks if they can talk in private.

Karen is unsure of Donna but complies. They walk over to the smaller courtyard and Karen urges her to speak so they can get this over with as soon as possible.

"Well, I want you to know that I'm no fool. I know you've got a thing for Tyreese and it's obvious to me that maybe he is feeling something for you as well," Donna begins.

"We're just friends, Donna. We have a few things in common and there's nothing wrong with us sharing that," Karen returns.

"I just want all of us to get what we want and what we need. I'm not going to lose Tyreese to you, so I came up with a way that we could all be together and be happy," Donna suggests.

Karen frowns. "Donna what are you talking about?"

Donna reaches forward and grabs a strand of Karen's hair. "Have you ever…..been with a woman? That's what all men want and that way you get your time with him and so do I and we completely blow his mind in the process. He'll have both of us and everybody wins."

Karen steps back immediately. "This is unbelievable. What's even sadder is that I know you're serious and I feel so sorry for Tyreese right now. I'm only going to say this once so listen carefully. Tyreese is my friend. That's all and I do not nor have I _ever_ wanted to be with a woman." She points her finger at Donna. "You better stay the hell away from me."

Donna frowns deeply as Karen walks away. She was so sure her plan would work. The fact that it hasn't leaves her in deep despair and she can't help it as tears spring to her eyes.

Karen goes in search of Tyreese immediately.

He smiles as he sees her coming his way. "Hey. I was wondering where you were."

"Come with me….now," Karen commands.

Tyreese grabs an extra serving for her and follows her to her cell.

She rounds on him as soon as they arrive. "Your girlfriend just propositioned me and I am livid."

Tyreese sets the plates aside quickly. "What do you mean? Propositioned you? What happened?"

Karen relays her conversation with Donna to Tyreese. "I have no idea what's going on with her or you for that matter. Did you put her up to this?"

Tyreese sputters in shock. "Of course not. I can't believe she would do something like that." He sighs heavily. "She….she went through some tough times not long ago but that's no excuse for something like this. I mean, I thought she was straight. I didn't know she liked women too."

"You just better keep that bitch as far away from me as possible and as of right now, I don't want to have anything to do with you or her," Karen states.

"Karen please. Don't do that. I promise you I had nothing to do with this. I'll go talk to her right now and get to the bottom of this." Tyreese leaves Karen's cell to seek out Donna.

He finds her seated in the courtyard, crying. "You want to tell me what the hell is going on with you? Karen just told me about your proposition. Have you lost your damn mind?"

"I'm just trying to keep you. I've seen how you look at her, how the two of you talk. You want her. I know you do. I just thought you'd be more satisfied if you could have us both….in every way," Donna says. "It's every man's fantasy to have two women at the same time. I know what you want and I was willing to give it to you."

"Donna, this is….too much. I can't do this with you anymore. I've tried to be there for you but you obviously don't care about anybody but yourself. I'm just sorry that it had to come to this in order for me to see the real you."

"Are you breaking up with _me_?! After everything I've been through? After everything I've tried to do to please you and you're just going to walk away?!" Donna shouts.

Tyreese drops his head sadly, wishing he had listened to Sasha months ago. "I'm sorry, Donna." He turns and walks away, making his way back inside the cellblock.

 **A/N: What is Donna going to do next?**


	15. Chapter 15

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 15)

 **A/N: As always, thanks for the awesome support.**

Michonne snuggles even closer to Rick, basking in the warmth of his embrace and enjoying what she has dubbed as her safe place. She always feels safest in his arms and can't help wishing she could remain surrounded by them at all times.

She couldn't hide her surprise when she entered their cell last week to see that he had dismantled the top bunk and placed it alongside the bottom bunk to make one large bed. He placed a wooden board underneath the mattresses and was sure to pack at least three sets of mattresses for comfort. It wasn't the best but it was as close as they were going to get to a real bed, so she was more than happy with his effort.

She can't help but wonder what he has on his agenda for the day. They have been through all of cellblock C and now it's time to venture into other cellblocks to see what they could possibly find. She has an inkling that he hasn't suggested it as of yet because he knows she will want to do her part as well. She sighs with that realization and squeezes him just a little, hoping all will go well when they finally discuss it.

"What's wrong?" He asks quietly.

"Just thinking about the other cellblocks and wondering when we're going to check them out," she admits.

"There's time. We just got this one completely cleared. T-Dog and Noah got the showers running and now T thinks he might be able to do something with those generators. We still have plenty to do right where we are," Rick offers.

"So you're not deliberately putting it off because of me?"

It's his turn to sigh as he moves onto his back and stares up at the ceiling. "Would you be upset if I said yes?"

Michonne laughs. "No." She searches his face slowly. "I know you're concerned and you should be, but I'm going to be ok. I promise."

With his nod, she kisses his shoulder lightly. "I'll let you play with T-Dog and the generators today and tomorrow we'll see about cellblock D. Deal?"

"Deal."

Later that day, Rick can hardly believe the group's luck as it is revealed that T-Dog was an electrician before the turn. The latter makes a list of the supplies he will need to get the generators fully functioning, hoping they will be able to find the items on their next supply run.

Meanwhile, Michonne is making her way to the laundry area to procure some extra blankets for her and Rick. The weather cools down a lot once the sun goes down and the prison gets awfully drafty at night. Rick claims it's just her and maybe the changes going on with her body but she seems to feel the coldness like never before.

She is pleased that Beth, Donna, and Jacqui took it upon themselves to find a way to wash and clean their clothes and linens. She comes up short as she sees Donna inside the area and she appears to be crying. She tries to back away quietly, but Donna turns and sees her.

"Hey. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you. I just wanted to get some extra blankets," Michonne explains.

Donna sniffs and wipes her face as she nods. "It's….ok. Help yourself."

Michonne drops her eyes as she walks into the laundry room quietly and moves toward the blankets and linens. She feels like a heel for not asking the other woman if she's ok but she knows exactly what's wrong with Donna. Tyreese told Sasha and Daryl about what happened and Daryl told Rick who promptly told her. She grabs a couple of blankets, then sighs as she turns around to face Donna.

"Are you ok?"

Donna gives her a slight smile. "Not really. Ty….Tyreese broke up with me and I don't know what to do to get him back or even if I want him back."

"Well, maybe you should just take this time to consider what you really want. A relationship is not the most important thing nowadays," Michonne supplies.

"Says a woman in a loving and stable relationship with a great guy," Donna returns.

"Let's not make this conversation about me or my relationship," Michonne states.

"Of course not. We can't all be as lucky as you, right? The way Rick looks at you, the way he wants to protect you…..I'll probably never have that," Donna admits sadly.

Michonne can't help thinking that's exactly what Donna had with Allen and with Tyreese, but decides not to voice that opinion. The woman obviously can't see that she is her own worst enemy. "Like I said…..you just concentrate on yourself, on making this place a home…there's plenty for us to do around here."

"Do you think Rick would be willing to talk to Tyreese for me?" Donna asks.

Michonne narrows her eyes at the other woman. "And say what?"

"Convince him to give me another chance. Everybody listens to Rick. You too. I haven't asked for much. Would you two do this for me? Please?" Donna implores.

Michonne is completely taken aback. Donna is treating this as some sort of high school spat or something. "I really don't think Rick and I should get involved. This should remain between you and Tyreese."

"But he won't even talk to me," Donna says.

"He'll come around. I'm sure of it," Michonne encourages.

"Are you mocking me? Are you enjoying seeing me like this? Just because things seem to be going so well for you right now don't be fooled that it will last. Rick is a man. He can get bored just like the others do," Donna spats.

"Once again, don't bring my relationship into this. One minute you're asking for my help and the next you're insulting me. What's really going on with you, Donna?"

"Oh fuck you, you self-righteous bitch! You better hope I don't set my sights on Rick again. I can get him if I really wanted him," Donna challenges.

Michonne shakes her head, wondering why she ever thought she could help Donna. She makes her way towards the exit/entrance but the other woman blocks her way.

"I've done some things that would shock a man like Rick. Shock him so good that he'll never be able to let me go. You remember that before you just flat out say no to talking to Tyreese. It might be to your advantage to make sure I get my man back. That could be the only way to keep me from yours." Donna gives her a knowing smirk.

"Seems to me if what you were doing was so shock worthy, Tyreese never would have left in the first place," Michonne returns as Donna gasps.

The brunette recovers quickly and her first instinct is to strike out at Michonne. She eyes her closely and decides to back down. She moves aside and allows her to exit, vowing to get even with Michonne and Karen somehow.

Karen is spending time with Tyreese, Noah, and Beth as the four of them are keeping watch. The older two are also teaching the younger two more about weapons and hand to hand combat. Tyreese is more experienced with combat so Karen leaves it to him to teach all of them. She has decided to forgive him about the Donna situation and that seemed to only aid them in growing closer. She's not sure where this will lead, but she has to admit that she is very interested in finding out.

She smiles as she notices how happy Beth and Noah seem to be in each other's company and can't help but wonder if there is a romance blossoming between the two. She looks over the yard in appreciation, remembering where her group was before they found Tyreese and the others. Things were looking pretty dire and she was unsure if they'd last any longer. Seems like a higher power still had them in His purview.

Rick, T-Dog, and Glenn move into view inside the courtyard where Jacqui and Maggie appear to be conversing. Karen starts to look away but does a double take as Jacqui's entire face lights up with the sight of T-Dog. She smiles knowingly as she watches Maggie move over to Glenn and Michonne walks out of the prison building, heading straight for Rick. _Jacqui and T-Dog? Well that sure is interesting._

Karen was about to turn back to the others when she detected more movement in the courtyard. It was Donna and she appeared to be heading towards the watch tower. Karen sighs as she has yet to speak to Donna again since their last revealing conversation. She decides to take it upon herself to be a buffer for Tyreese as she knows he is not ready to deal with Donna just yet.

"Hey. I'll be right back," she informs the others as she exits the tower and meets Donna at the fence.

Donna gives her a slight smile. "I….I just wanted to apologize to you. Can we talk for just a moment?"

Karen executes caution with Donna but gives a nod. "So talk."

"I'd like Tyreese to hear this too," Donna says as she opens the fence and walks within a few inches of Karen.

"He's busy right now so you'll have to talk with him later," Karen advises.

Donna takes a deep breath and releases it slowly. "Are you trying to keep him away from me?"

"No. He really is busy. He's on watch duty."

"Do you think he'll be willing to talk to me?" Donna asks.

"I think you should give him some time, Donna. Let things cool down just a bit," Karen encourages.

"Cool down, huh? Yeah, they'll cool down for me but heat up for you. Is that it?" Donna proffers.

"I thought you wanted to have a talk. I thought you were being genuine with your apology, but you haven't learned anything, have you? This behavior won't put you back in Tyreese's favor. It won't make him take you back. What you did…the things you said….they were awful. You really think that's what Tyreese is interested in? That only tells me that you didn't know him as well as you thought you did." Karen steps closer to Donna. "Do us both a favor and just leave him alone."

"That would make it easier for you, wouldn't it?" Donna growls.

Karen is not sure where the boldness is coming from, but she wants Donna to know that she is interested in Tyreese and he is interested in her. "Yes, as a matter of fact, it would." Her eyes pop as Donna screams and reaches for her neck with clawing hands.

Dust flies up around them as Karen lands on her back with Donna atop her.

"Get off of me, you crazy…."

Donna clips Karen in the face with a hard right. "Shut up! Just shut the fuck up!"

Karen feels the rifle at her back digging into her flesh and knows she won't be able to reach for it. She balls her hand into a fist and lands a punch to Donna's mid-section, stunning the woman enough to get her hands away from her neck.

Donna recovers too quickly and goes for Karen's neck again. This time wrapping her hands securely and squeezing with all of her strength.

The scream and the shouting draws Tyreese's attention as he takes a look from the tower. Rick, Michonne, T-Dog, Jacqui, Glenn, and Maggie can see the two woman tussling on the ground from the top of the hill and quickly start in that direction.

Karen sputters and reaches for the Glock at her hip and brings it up to Donna's head. Donna gasps as she lets go of Karen's neck and takes hold of the gun. The two women struggle harshly as they both try to gain control of the weapon.

Tyreese steps out of the watch tower door just as the others are making it to the fence. A single gunshot sounds and stops them all in their tracks.

Donna stares down into Karen's eyes, both of their hands still clutched around the gun. She watches with satisfaction as the light in Karen's eyes starts to dull. Tyreese's voice brings her back to the situation at hand. She snatches the gun out of Karen's weak hands and comes to a stand, waving it wildly.

"Step back! She got what she deserved and you deserve to watch her die!" Donna shouts at Tyreese, standing by Karen's body as if she is protecting her from the others. She will do anything to keep them from getting to her and possibly saving her.

Tyreese sees the blood staining Karen's chest as the dying woman's eyes find his. "Donna please…" He is cut off as Donna fires a shot at him and grazes his jacket at the shoulder.

"Don't say anything! Just let her die! Let her die!" Donna detects movement by the fence so she swings the weapon in that direction. "Stay back! Just stay back!"

"Karen needs our help, Donna," Michonne states.

Donna points the gun at her with a laugh. "You're gonna need some help if you don't shut up! I should shoot your ass just for the hell of it!" She fires in Michonne's direction but Rick shoves Michonne to the dirt hard while crouching to the ground and tackling Donna at the knees. Donna lands on top of Karen, the gun flying out of her hand.

Glenn races to retrieve the gun while Rick subdues Donna, dragging her off of Karen's body so Tyreese can see to her injury.

Noah and Beth watch from above while Shane comes running down the hill. The latter races to Tyreese's side as the larger man drops to his knees, grabbing Karen's hand.

"Hold on. Please just hold on!" Tyreese scoops her up and races up the hill yelling Herschel's name the entire time. Jacqui and Shane follow behind quickly, hoping Karen will be ok.

Daryl and Sasha emerge from the prison, coming in on the tail end of all of the drama.

Donna struggles uselessly against Rick's hold, yelling and cursing the entire time. She is so out of control that Maggie pulls her gun from her hip and clips Donna across the face just to shut her up.

Rick allows the limp woman to fall to his feet as he notices that Michonne is still on the ground. He rushes over to her and immediately helps her up. "Babe are you ok? I'm sorry. I swear I didn't mean to hurt you. I just…she fired that gun at you and I just…"

Michonne nods quietly, her arm and her side still stinging with pain as that is where she landed. The fall seemed to take her breath away and she had to remain immobile for just a few moments. "It's ok. I'm fine."

Beth and Noah emerge from the watch tower cautiously.

T-Dog shakes his head in confusion. "What the hell just happened here?"

"My guess is Donna wasn't too happy with Karen getting close to Tyreese," Glenn suggests. "This is so bad. What are we going to do?"

"We're going to lock her ass up and see what we can do for Karen," Rick states.

They all take action as T-Dog agrees to help Noah and Beth finish their watch duty, Glenn and Rick grab Donna, and Michonne and Maggie follow behind them slowly.

Maggie looks over at her friend who is favoring her side. "You ok?"

Michonne nods. "It still hurts a bit, but I'll be fine."

Hours later, Herschel and Jacqui have managed to stabilize Karen but they are not hopeful for her survival. Tyreese sits with her while the others call a meeting. T-Dog, Noah, and Beth are still on watch duty as Herschel, Jacqui, Rick, Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, Daryl, Sasha, and Shane discuss what can be done to help Karen. Donna remains on the second floor of cellblock C locked in a cell indefinitely.

"We need more medicine and equipment. The only place close by is a clinic and they may not have everything we need, but it's a start. I'm willing to go as I know exactly what to get," Herschel suggests.

"So do I," Jacqui chimes in.

Shane nods. "Well, I'm in. I gotta do everything I can to save her. She's all the family I got left." He rubs his head in agitation and looks off as if he has a lot on his mind.

"I'm in," Daryl states.

"Me too," Sasha adds.

"I'll go," Rick says.

"I'm better at this than you, so I should go," Glenn tells Rick.

Rick gives him a pointed look. "Five people is enough. We'll need room for the equipment and supplies."

"Don't forget about the generators," Michonne adds quietly. "Won't we need those for the equipment?"

"Shit," Rick exclaims. "Two teams then?"

"No. Looks like we'll just have to add T to the team," Herschel suggests. "Daryl, Sasha, Shane, Jacqui, Glenn, and T-Dog." When Rick looks to protest, the older man continues with, "We'll need people here to safe guard the prison as well, Rick. I'm sure you and Michonne won't mind, right?"

"We don't mind," Michonne agrees.

It is decided that the team will leave at first light. Glenn and Maggie relieve T-Dog, Beth, and Noah so T can get some rest before leaving for the supply run. Maggie suggested that Glenn get some rest as well, but he said he couldn't sleep if he tried, reliving what happened to Karen.

"I just can't believe something like this had to happen between us. We're supposed to be pulling together in times like these," Glenn says as he looks to Maggie for reassurance.

"Donna hasn't been the same since her time in that camp. This thing with Tyreese…I guess it just sent her over the edge. I would have never guessed that she was capable of this though," Maggie returns. "We're going to be ok. We have to be."

She hugs him, hoping she gave him the reassurance he needed.

Rick enters their cell, quietly. He was sure to check on Karen, Tyreese, Herschel, and Donna before retiring for the night. He was expecting Michonne to be asleep but finds her seated on the edge of the bed, clutching her stomach. His eyes grow big with panic as he drops to his knees in front of her.

"Babe? What's wrong?"

Michonne shakes her head slowly as he lifts her tear filled eyes to his. "I….I'm in pain."

Rick tears out of their cell and runs to the infirmary to retrieve Herschel. He and the older man make it back to the cell in record time. Michonne is in the same position, rocking herself slowly.

"What's going on?" Herschel asks.

Rick is anxious as he looks from Herschel to Michonne and back again. "She's pregnant."


	16. Chapter 16

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 16)

 **A/N: Thank you to ricks-tight-n-right-brown-shirt aka ezillyamused, Carolina-bleus, and sugarysweetzee aka zeejack for their continued support. Hope everyone enjoys this update.**

Herschel looks from Rick to Michonne, trying not to appear as stunned as he feels. He quickly recalls Rick's protectiveness and Michonne's tiredness and concludes that the signs were there all along. He snaps out of his reflections and kneels down in front of her. "Does it feel like really bad cramps?"

She nods slowly as she tries to hold her tears at bay.

"Do you….have you been spotting or anything like that?" Herschel asks anxiously as he grasps one of her hands trying to comfort her. The last thing he wants is for these two to suffer through a miscarriage.

"I….I don't….think….so," she manages.

"I need you to check to be sure." He lifts himself to a stand. "I have some herbs that may help you with the pain. It's natural so it won't hurt the baby." He looks to Rick. "Stay here with her. Try to keep her calm and please check her for bleeding. That's going to be our best indication of what might be happening if anything. I'll be back shortly."

Herschel's mind turns furiously as he realizes he's going to need Jacqui to get even more equipment while on the run. _Michonne is pregnant._ He wants to be happy but can't help thinking of all the things that could go wrong. He shakes his head, dispelling the bad thoughts, preferring to concentrate on helping her and praying that all will be well.

He finds Jacqui keeping vigil with Tyreese so he quickly calls her over and apprises her of the situation, asking her to be as discreet as possible for now. Jacqui tries not to appear anxious as she and Herschel quickly make a list of what she should look for.

She assists him in making the herbal tea for Michonne, the two of them together finishing the job in record time. Herschel pours it all into a mug, seals the top and hurriedly makes his way back to Rick and Michonne. He questions them about any bleeding or spotting which they both answer with a negative. His relief is palpable as that is a positive indication that a miscarriage may not be taking place.

Michonne sips from the mug as Rick rubs her back gently and Herschel lets them know what equipment Jacqui will try to procure.

"This equipment….will you be able to see the baby? Check the growth and everythang?" Rick asks.

Herschel nods. "Yes, we're going to need any and everything we can get our hands on. If T-Dog finds what he needs and gets those generators running, we should be able to do tests and all just like before."

Rick leans forward and kisses Michonne's shoulder lightly. "Everythang's gonna be ok."

Herschel gives a slight smile. "He's right, you know. It's going to be fine. Just make sure you drink all of that tea and try and get some rest. I'll check back in a half hour or so." Once he gets a nod from the both of them, he takes his leave and makes his way back to the infirmary to check on Karen.

Rick continues to comfort Michonne, anything to help her get through this. "Feeling any better?"

She inhales deeply and releases her breath slowly. "I think so. It doesn't seem to be as bad as before but the pain's still there."

He looks closely at the side of her body she landed on, noting the scratches on her skin from the gravel. He lifts himself from the bed, moving over to a small table to retrieve one of the oils she likes for moisturizing. He waits patiently as she continues to drink.

Moments later, he retrieves the empty mug, setting it aside as he helps her to lie back. He applies the oil softly to her affected skin in hopes it will provide some comfort and relief. They soon burrow down in the bed and get comfortable together. He wraps his arms around her gently, a hand over her stomach protectively. He kisses her ear softly and whispers, "Our little girl is going to be so beautiful."

Michonne turns slightly to look at him and asks quietly, "Little girl, huh? How do you know we're not having a boy?"

"Just a feeling I'm getting. She's going to have beautiful brown eyes just like her momma, a smile identical to yours, probably a matching personality too. She's going to be perfect. Just wait and see."

Tears spring to her eyes as she listens to Rick describe their little girl. She turns her body to fully face him and embraces him tightly despite the dull ache in her abdomen. "I'm gonna have a mini me?" She laughs at her own joke, loving the way his body shakes with laughter against hers.

"I love you….so much," she tells him.

"I know. I love you, too."

They both fall silent, lost in their own thoughts for the moment. His deep sigh tells her all she needs to know.

"Rick?"

"Hmmmm….?"

"You pushed me out of the way to save me. You didn't hurt me purposely and this is not your fault or a result of what happened. Okay?"

"I just….I didn't think. I saw the gun and….." he stops as she puts a finger to his lips.

"You did what you had to do to keep your family safe. That's all," she relays. "We're going to be fine." She places one of his hands on her belly, resting her head against his chest as she closes her eyes, inviting sleep to claim her.

He watches until she is fully relaxed in his arms, assuring him that she is truly resting before he closes his eyes to do the same.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shane walks into the infirmary to check on Karen, nodding to Jacqui as he walks over to Tyreese, letting him know he'd relieve him if needed. Tyreese declines, determined to be there when Karen wakes up.

Jacqui feels compelled to try and comfort Shane in some way. He was instrumental in keeping them alive all those weeks they were out there together. He taught them how to fight back, how to survive. She walks over to him and places a hand on his shoulder. "I'm doing everything I can to help her pull through. Herschel is too. Hopefully, we can find what we need on the run and get it back here to her."

Shane gives her hand a squeeze, holding on a little longer than he should. "Thank you. She's going to be ok. She has to be."

Jacqui looks away as she relinquishes her hand and returns to the other side of the room.

Meanwhile Daryl and Sasha take some food to Donna as everyone else is too preoccupied to consider her wellbeing. She sits on the floor of the cell in a corner with her knees pulled up to her chest, whispering to herself.

Sasha and Daryl share a look before he places the food on the tray opening of the cell door.

"Is this another one of her games?" Sasha whispers to Daryl.

He takes Sasha by an elbow and steers her away from the cell. "I don't know. Could be." He shakes his head. "I don't see anything good coming of this."

"What do you mean?" She asks as she steps closer to him.

"What happens if Karen dies? What do we do with her?" He wonders, tilting his chin towards Donna's cell.

Sasha cups his cheek. "First of all, we're not going to think like that. We're going on this run to get what Herschel and Jacqui need to help her pull through." She looks directly into his eyes and gives him a reassuring smile. "It's gonna be ok, baby. I promise."

Daryl steps to her and hugs her tightly, hoping that she's right.

A couple of hours later, the run team is assembled and ready to depart. Daryl, Sasha, Glenn, Jacqui, T-Dog, and Shane say their good byes and pledge to try and return before dark. Hershel checks in on a sleeping Rick and Michonne before returning to the infirmary to help Tyreese continue to watch over Karen. Beth, Noah, and Maggie continue to keep watch and Donna remains in her jail cell.

The stillness of the prison is what awakens Rick as he realizes he and Michonne slept for a while, the latter continuing to sleep peacefully. He hates to move and disturb her but his body is calling for relief and food. He lifts his arm and glances at his watch, noting the hour is close to 9 in the morning. He assumes the team is out on their run and hates that he can't be out there with them. He glances at a slumbering Michonne and realizes he is exactly where he is supposed to be. He drops his lips to her forehead before exiting their bed and walking to the bathroom.

Afterwards, he makes a few rounds inside the prison, checking on Herschel and Tyreese and inquiring about who's on watch. He then makes his way to the second floor and checks on Donna who appears to be sleeping. From there he jogs out to the watch tower and asks after Noah, Beth and Maggie promising that he'd be out to relieve them shortly. He stops to grab breakfast on his way back to their cell, surprised that Michonne is still asleep.

He knows she needs her rest especially if that is what her body is calling for but he also realizes she and the baby need nourishment so he shakes her gently to wake her up.

She opens her eyes slowly, giving him a drowsy smile before covering her mouth to stifle a huge yawn. "Morning. I'm getting lazy. I do not want to move."

"Then don't. I do want you to eat though. Think you can manage that?" He asks with a smile.

Her stomach rumbles loudly as if on cue. "Does that answer your question?"

They both laugh as he hands her the food and sits on the bed by her side. "You feeling ok?"

"Better. Much better," she answers as she digs into the provisions he brought. "So what's going on today? How's Karen? Have they left for the run already?"

Rick looks at her with a slight grin. "You are feeling better, aren't you?"

"I told you I was. Once we're done eating, I suggest a shower and seeing what we can do to help Herschel or maybe take watch duty and even see where Donna's head is at today."

"Ummm….you wanna slow down and take it a bit easier than that?" He asks softly. "How about we get your shower taken care of and we see how you're feeling afterwards before we run off doing anythang else?"

"My shower?" She smiles at him suggestively. "I was hoping it could be _our_ shower."

Rick blushes slightly and drops his eyes to the bed. "Don't even think about it."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Everything seems to be falling apart right before Rick's eyes. Karen had passed away and Tyreese had gone on a tirade, leaving the safety of cellblock C to venture into cellblock D which hadn't been completely cleared. Rick tried to stop him, but couldn't as Herschel looked on helplessly. The only good thing to come of this is that Michonne was still unaware as she decided to rest again after being out and about for most of the day.

Now the noise of the others returning from the run makes his heart even heavier as they are too late in saving one of their group. Jacqui and Shane are the first two through the doors of the infirmary. They look from Herschel to Rick, note Tyreese's absence, and hone in on the sheet shrouding Karen from view.

Jacqui gasps and reaches out to Shane who moves on wooden legs towards Karen.

"I'm…..sorry," Rick whispers.

Shane looks to him and frowns as he feels like a hand is squeezing his heart. _She can't be gone_. He wants so badly to give in to his despair but he can't. He decides to focus on his anger instead. He rubs is head with both hands, scrubbing his face and reaches for the Glock at his back, readying it for discharge. He can hear his name being called but the sound is distant. He sees Glenn, Maggie, T-Dog, Daryl, Sasha, Herschel, Jacqui, Rick but it doesn't make a difference. He has to make this right somehow and the only way to do that is to avenge Karen.

He takes off at a run, surprising the others who aren't quick enough to stop him. He races to the second floor with Rick right behind him, shouting his name. He arrives at Donna's cell and points the gun. He pulls the trigger but the shot goes wild as Rick dives at him and they land on the floor.

Donna hovers in a corner, frightened as Shane and Rick tussle right outside her cell.

Shane lands a punch to Rick's jaw and receives a jarring blow in return. "Get off me! She deserves to die for what she did!"

"Not like this Shane! You're not thinking straight right now!" Rick yells. He gains control of the gun and throws his back against the wall closest to the cell door, his breathing ragged and harsh as he looks over at Shane warily.

Glenn, T-Dog, and Daryl wait at the opposite end of the walkway and Shane scoffs as he realizes they're looking to Rick for direction.

Michonne's voice drifts up to him from the lower level as she asks Maggie, Sasha and Jacqui about the gunshot, wondering what has happened.

Shane lifts himself to a sitting position and glares at Rick as he kicks Donna's cell door violently before rushing off.

The others watch him leave, wanting to offer some words of comfort or encouragement but find themselves at a loss. Jacqui sighs as the tears spill down her cheeks and she slowly walks out, following Shane.

Rick makes his way down to the first floor, followed closely by the others. He rubs his forehead anxiously as he tries his best to give them some sort of direction. Michonne steps in and asks the others to take care of certain duties. The mood is somber for all as they wonder how they will recover from this. Daryl and Sasha decide to tackle cellblock D in an effort to find Tyreese and bring him back.

Shane makes his way to the smaller courtyard, wanting and needed to be alone as he allows himself to cry. He is startled when Jacqui walks up behind him and places a comforting hand on his arm. He can see the pain in her eyes and knows that she is hurting just as much as he is. They embrace each other tightly as they cry together, no words uttered, only their sniffles and light sobs filling the air.

Moments later, they calm down enough to take a seat side by side on one of the benches.

"I'm so sorry, Shane. She….she didn't deserve this. I….I wish things could be different somehow," Jacqui tells him.

He breathes in deeply, releasing slowly. "It could be….with us."

"Don't….don't bring that up. Not now," Jacqui suggests.

"It was….it was good between us. You know it was," he reminds her.

Jacqui drops her eyes to her hands. "Shane, it was one time. We both agreed that it was just a moment of weakness and we wouldn't go there again."

"Problem is….I can't stop thinking about it. I don't want to stop thinking about it."

"We're both hurting and feeling vulnerable right now. That's all this is," she says.

"Is it? Now that Karen's gone, I don't have anybody else. You're it, Jacqui and I want something with you. I tried things your way but it's not working for me. Give me a chance," he pleads as he leans toward her.

"I…I can't. I really want to build something with T-Dog. Tell me you understand that," she offers.

"I don't understand it, especially when you didn't even try to give us a chance. I need you." He can't help but notice the fact that she hasn't turned away or made an attempt to move. It was all the encouragement he needed as he plants his mouth against hers and pulls her toward him.

The next day they have a service for Karen and bury her in the main yard of the prison. Daryl manufactures a marker for her grave and looks off in the distance, noticing Tyreese. He is covered in blood with a hammer in his hand. Daryl and Sasha found him early this morning but he refused to leave. He was basically clearing D block all by himself.

Shane asks Rick to call a meeting in order for the group to make a decision on Donna's fate. He feels that she should be put to death for her crime. Rick is unsure about it so agrees that a meeting is in order. The decision should be made by all of them.

Everyone is tired but they meet in the common area of cellblock C with the exception of Tyreese. No one, not even Sasha, has been able to get through to him. They realize he will have to work it out in his own time.

Shane speaks up immediately, telling them point blank that Donna should die for shooting and killing Karen.

"We were law enforcement, Shane. How can you vote for someone's death with our background?" Rick asks.

"Things ain't the same no more Rick. This is a new world so we gotta do things a new way," Shane insists.

"But she's a living, breathing person. How can we just shoot her or whatever and be ok with that?" Glenn inquires.

"Couldn't we just ban her from the prison? Let her make it out there on her own," Sasha suggests.

"Wouldn't we be sending her out there to die? That's just as bad as shooting her, isn't it?" Glenn returns.

"She's already in a jail cell. We put murderers in prison before, so why can't that be an option?" T-Dog inserts.

Shane scoffs. "So let me get this straight. I'm supposed to go out there and risk my life getting supplies and bring them back here and feed her while she just sits on her ass doing nothing all day?"

T-Dog sighs as he realizes Shane has a point. "Well, maybe we allow her to earn her keep somehow."

"Release her so she can get her hands on another gun and shoot someone else?" Maggie adds. She looks to her dad, hoping he can bring some wisdom to this situation.

Herschel only shakes his head, not wanting to voice his opinion. He has decided to leave it to Rick.

"We should just vote on it. Get this over with once and for all. There has to be some sort of punishment doled out for her actions," Jacqui states.

The vote is split. Shane, Maggie, Jacqui, Noah, Beth, and Sasha vote for Donna to die while Rick, Glenn, Michonne, Herschel, T-Dog, and Daryl vote to exile her.

Rick sighs heavily, not sure what they should do at this point. Unbeknownst to them, Tyreese had been standing by the main entrance out of their view, listening. He steps forward, out of the shadows, still covered in blood and guts, the hammer clenched in his hands.

"Don't I get a vote?"


	17. Chapter 17

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 17)

 **A/N: Thanks for your patience with me. I appreciate it.**

Sasha sees her brother and rushes to his side, her relief palpable. "Ty, you're ok." She can't help herself as her eyes and hands rove his body anxiously, ensuring he has no wounds of any kind.

"I'm fine, Sasha. I just need to handle some business." He looks to the others and focuses on Rick. "My vote decides her fate, right?"

"It does," Rick tells him.

Shane watches Tyreese closely, trying to gauge what he might be thinking. He doesn't want to state the obvious but can't help voicing his opinion. "You gotta do the right thing here, man."

Tyreese swallows visibly before taking a deep breath and releasing it. "I do. I know that." He drops his head as he knows what he is about to say will be met with mixed emotions. His eyes move to Sasha and back to the others. "I think it's best….if I leave….and take Donna with me."

The protest is loud and adamant and immediate. Sasha steps in front of her brother and looks up at him defiantly. "NO! NO Tyreese! You are not doing this! What would that solve anyway? Her ass needs to die and that's the bottom line!"

Daryl steps up and places a hand on her arm to calm her down then looks to Tyreese. "You can't do this, man. You can't leave like that."

"It's dangerous out there. At least in here there's a chance," Michonne inserts.

"Listen. I know how this might look but I can't allow her to shoulder all the blame. I played a part in this just like I played a part in Allen's death." He trudges on when his sister tries to interrupt. "I'm not going to deny it anymore. I'm going to face up to what I've done and this is the beginning of it. She can't live here anymore. No one would feel safe and I understand that so I think this is the best option. As for death, we've had enough. No more. If I can stop it, then that's what I'm going to do."

Sasha races up the short flight of steps, blocking the main exit. She spreads her arms out wide. "You're not going anywhere! You hear me!? I won't LET you!"

Daryl drops his head, his shoulders deflating as he feels her pain, her frustration. "Baby…"

She cuts him off. "Daryl…don't." She watches her brother as tears stream down her face. Just looking at him lets her know he has his mind made up and there is nothing she can do about it. Her eyes locate her gun where she left it resting upright against one of the cell doors.

Michonne follows her line of vision and steps over to the gun, ready to grab it if Sasha makes a dive for it. Her friend can be impulsive and she doesn't want her to do something she might regret.

Moments later, Daryl has coaxed Sasha away from the exit and into their cell, trying to console her in any way possible. Tyreese has walked out to the courtyard if only for a little solace. Rick feels compelled to talk to him, to talk him out of this plan…somehow.

He approaches him cautiously. "I'm trying to understand your way of thinking here. I just don't see it being the answer. We're stronger together. You should know that by now."

Tyreese looks at him with a nod. "You're right. We are stronger together but can you allow her to stay here after what she's done? You're willing to let her sleep where Michonne sleeps?"

Rick purses his lips together, working his jaw. "You know I can't have that. We won't kill her but she can't be here."

"You also know she wouldn't last a day out there on her own. That's the same as killing her, right? Like Glenn said?" Tyreese asks. "Look. I don't have all the answers. I'm just trying to do the right thing so nobody else has to die. The group is split but I can take her out of the equation and make it so you guys will have a real chance here."

"But what about you? What about your chance?"

"Maybe I gave that up when I did what I did with Donna. I knew it was wrong and I can't even tell you why I let it happen. The world has changed. So have some of the rules but we don't have to change everything about ourselves to adapt. We can still do the right thing. Maybe she does deserve to die for what she's done but it's not our call, Rick. It's not our call."

Rick looks down at his boots, feeling the weight of this decision and torn between the right and wrong of it. "Take….take anything you need. Food, weapons, a vehicle…." He turns to walk inside but decides to add one last thing. "Tyreese….no matter what. You can always come back."

The two men nod in understanding and camaraderie.

Later, they all branch off, everyone tending to some duty or task. Maggie and Glenn are on watch duty, Beth and Noah are taking care of arranging dinner for everyone, T-Dog is working on a generator specifically for the infirmary as Herschel and Jacqui are setting up some of the equipment that was brought back, Rick and Michonne are waiting patiently so she can be examined, Shane is moving the other equipment off the van and into the prison, and Tyreese is quietly talking with Donna, telling her about his plans.

Sasha is breathing heavily as Daryl kneels between her thighs and licks her into oblivion. She palms his head and grinds against him as she reaches her peak. She collapses on the bunk, rolling her hips gently as he continues to lap at her. He kisses her thighs as he moves up and unzips his pants. He remains on his knees as he grasps her by the hips and pulls her closer to him. He shoves his pants down and enters her with one smooth thrust. She gasps and starts to move with him, deliberate in her actions, losing herself in the sensations. She wishes they could stay like this forever, away from the reality of their world, safe in each other's arms.

After they are both spent, they lie back on the bunk, covered by a couple of blankets.

"Sasha?"

"Yeah?"

"We can go with him. If that's what you need to do, I'm with you," Daryl tells her.

She supports herself on an elbow as she looks at him, tears glistening in her eyes. In that moment, she knows without a doubt that Daryl Dixon loves her. She gives him a slight smile as she caresses his cheek. "Thank you….but I can't ask you to do that. I can't ask you to risk your life. It wouldn't be fair. I also can't guarantee that I wouldn't kill that bitch in her sleep the first chance I got so it's best if we stay here."

They share a laugh before she grabs him to her in hug and whispers, "I love you."

The generator for the infirmary is up and running thanks to T-Dog so Herschel and Jacqui get to work on examining Michonne. The ultrasound machine doesn't provide the best picture as Herschel is still figuring out how it works but they can distinctly hear a rapid heartbeat. Jacqui points out what body parts she can decipher and tells them that everything looks fine from what she can see.

Rick holds Michonne's hand as they both stare at the monitor in awe, trying to make out a leg or an arm. He rubs his forehead anxiously. "So…everything's ok? The baby's fine?"

"The baby is fine, Rick," Herschel assures him.

"That's a very strong heartbeat. I'd say the little fella is doing terrific," Jacqui reiterates.

"Little gal….it's a girl. I just know it's a girl," Rick states proudly.

Michonne just lies there, speechless. _I'm having a baby. I'm really having a baby_.

The group dines together except for Maggie, Glenn, and Donna. It's like an unspoken send off for Tyreese. Afterwards, Daryl allows Sasha and Tyreese some time together as he spells Glenn and Maggie for watch duty. Shane soon joins him and they watch over the prison as the others sleep.

The next morning, they all gather and watch as Tyreese and Donna load up a vehicle and say their good byes. The latter apologizes profusely but it all falls on deaf ears.

Sasha climbs up to the guard tower and watches as her brother drives away, wondering if she will ever see him again.

XXXXXXXXXX

A week has passed and life at the prison continues routinely. The only difference is they are being watched. Phillip Blake and four of his people have been watching the prison for the last two days. He is not happy to realize that a small group has taken the prison, something his men told him could not be done. They are also only a matter of miles away from his established community, Woodbury. He decides to introduce himself first, a means to size them up and determine if they'd be viable additions for his community. If not, well he'd just cross that bridge when he came to it.

Noah and T-Dog are on watch duty when two vehicles approach the prison's main gate. The latter instructs the teen to find Rick and tell him they have visitors. Gunshots ring out as Phillip and his group start to eliminate the walkers at the fence. T-Dog makes his way cautiously to the main gate just as the others file out of the prison. The gunshots alerting them to trouble as well as Noah's information.

Rick's agitation is apparent. The group of strangers is eliminating the threat at the fence, but the gunshots will more than likely bring more walkers. He and Shane join T-Dog at the gate just as Phillip and his group take out the last few walkers. They approach the gate as well.

"Howdy neighbors. I'm Phillip Blake. We have a small town a few miles from here. We were just out scouting and looking for supplies and happened to run up on this prison. Didn't know anyone was here. Mind if we come in? I'd feel a lot more comfortable on the other side of this fence if you know what I mean?"

Rick looks to Shane and T-Dog who both give slight nods. He also determines that the newcomers used quite a lot of ammo taking out the walkers at the fence. That means they could be low and may not be much of a threat. "I'm gonna have to ask you to leave your weapons in your vehicles first. Then we'll open the gate."

Phillip is inwardly not pleased with that suggestion but instructs his people to do just that.

Shane unlocks the gate and proceeds to slide it open but only so far, allowing the five of them to walk inside. He closes the gate and locks it behind them.

"How can we help you?" Rick offers. "We didn't realize there was another group so close by."

"Yeah, we've been established for a good little while now. About 60 survivors. We call our place Woodbury. These are some my people….Shumpert, Martinez, Zoe, and Cathy."

Rick nods. "I'm Rick Grimes." The others introduce themselves as Shane, T-Dog, Noah, Michonne, Sasha, Daryl, Glenn and Maggie are all present. Beth, Jacqui, and Herschel remain inside.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you all. We were starting to think we were the only ones left," Phillip informs.

"I understand that feeling," Rick returns.

T-Dog can't help the uneasiness that slides up his spine as the woman named Zoe continues to look at him intensely. He averts his eyes and hopes she does the same.

"So how have you sustained your place? Do you have fences or walls?" Shane asks.

"We've built up some walls. It's still a work in progress but it's been safe so far. We haven't had any breaches. How about you?" Phillip inquires.

"Same here. The fences are keeping them out," Shane supplies.

"What about food? How far out have you guys had to go?" Rick wants to know.

"We've gone as far away as 50 miles so far. You?"

Shane wonders at the fact of Phillip doing all the talking but decides not to question it. "About the same."

"I'd like to offer up some hospitality and invite you all to Woodbury. I'll have Martinez here to come back in say….one week? He can lead you there. That is if you don't mind," Phillip suggests.

 _So far so good_. Rick takes a look back at Michonne, taking in her demeanor and reading her eyes. He returns his gaze to Phillip. "That's very hospitable of you and we…accept."

Phillip notices the exchange between the two as the beautiful woman with the sword steps forward to stand by Rick's side. The surprise on his face is evident as he scans her fingers quickly, noticing that they are ring less. "Are you two….together?"

Rick frowns as does Michonne but the former quickly notices how Phillip is looking at her. "Yes. Yes we are."

Michonne keeps her surprise hidden, wondering why Rick felt the need to answer this man.

Phillips nods. "I hope that wasn't rude of me. I just didn't see any rings and I assumed you were unattached, young lady. Forgive me."

Maggie and Glenn share a look as well as Daryl and Sasha, wondering at the man's statements.

"Well, we've already taken up too much of your time. We'll see you good people in about a week. I'm looking forward to it," Phillip tells them as they prepare to leave.

The group watches as T-Dog unlocks the gate and opens it, allowing them to exit, still wondering about the looks he was receiving from the red head named Zoe.

XXXXXXXXXX

Rick has a mouth full of nipple as Michonne rides him slowly. Her head is thrown back as she moves up and down on him, his hand splayed in the middle of her upper back, pressing her forward as he suckles her.

She pushes a hand into his curls and tries to stifle a moan as he hits a spot that makes her shudder. "Oh babe…..you feel so good." She licks her suddenly dry lips and rolls her hips as he moves from one breast to the other.

They move in unison, striving for the ultimate release, arriving at their destination only seconds apart. Michonne slides off of him and collapses onto her stomach, breathless and drained. Rick reaches over and palms her ass as he closes his eyes and falls asleep.

The next morning, the first thought that comes to him is marriage. He hates to admit it but Phillip's observation of no ring on Michonne's finger is bothering him. He gives her butt a squeeze and smiles as she rolls her hips, pushing her flesh against his hand.

"Babe? I…I need to ask you something," he relays cautiously.

She turns her head to face him. "Ok."

"How….how do you feel about marriage?"

If she wasn't fully awake before, she is now. She blinks rapidly as she looks into the questioning blue eyes of her lover. "I….I don't know. I mean, I always thought I'd get married one day but….Mike and I never really talked about it." She places a hand on his chest. "Do you…wanna talk about it?"

He searches her expressive brown eyes and gives her a slight smile. "I do."

Her heart rate increases as she returns his smile, wondering where this man has been all of her life.

Meanwhile, Shane has made his way to Jacqui's cell. He doesn't want to pressure her but he also doesn't want to just let it go and give her the opportunity to ignore what they feel for each other. She sees him standing in the doorway as she makes up her bunk.

"Good morning," she greets.

He cringes inwardly as she indirectly reminds him about his manners. "Mornin'. You had breakfast yet?"

"I haven't. I'm headed to the showers first and then to the cafeteria."

"Well, do you mind if we have breakfast together?"

"Shane…."

He cuts her off with, "It's just breakfast, Jacqui. Nothing else."

"I know and that's fine but I really need to handle some business first. Will you let me do that?"

"Business? You mean with T-Dog?" He asks.

She answers with a nod.

He gives her a smile and drops his eyes to his boots. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"Let's just take it slow. Can we do that?"

"I'll do anything you want me to," he answers.

"I'm…gonna talk to him this morning," Jacqui tells him.

The topic of their discussion walks up and greets them both, looking between the two.

"Hey. You ready for breakfast?" T-Dog asks Jacqui.

"I need to hit the showers first so give me about 10 minutes. Is that ok?"

"Sure." T-Dog looks to Shane. "So who's on watch today?"

Shane answers him then looks to Jacqui. "I'll see you later."

She nods at the two of them as she grabs her bag of toiletries and makes her way out of her cell and to the shower area.

Thirty minutes later, she is apologizing for the hurt she can detect in T-Dog's eyes. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him, but she is glad the relationship hasn't progressed into something more. That would've made this even harder.

"Are you sure about this Jacqui?"

"I…I just need to do the right thing."

T-Dog can only nod as she walks away from him.

She finds Shane working on one of the vehicles and approaches him slowly. He looks up when he sees her, not sure what to expect.

"Tell me I'm doing the right thing," Jacqui requests.

He grabs a rag from his back pocket and wipes his hands. He steps to her, his eyes never leaving hers, and takes her into his arms gently. He gives her a tight squeeze and whispers in her ear, "Don't this feel right to you?"

She closes her eyes as she brings her hands up to cup his shoulders and hold him just as tight.


	18. Chapter 18

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 18)

 **A/N: This story is still going strong thanks to the awesome readers and their support and also to Zeejack for always helping me out no matter what.**

Phillip Blake kept his promise. Martinez and Shumpert arrived at the prison one week later on a cool, crisp morning and the group readily allowed them inside. They had previously discussed this upcoming trip and devised plans should something go wrong. Rick, Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, Beth, Noah, and T-Dog would travel to Woodbury while Daryl, Sasha, Shane, Jacqui, and Herschel would stay at the prison.

The group traveling to Woodbury had plans to return the same day, but if they hadn't returned in two days, then the second group would know something had gone awry. Daryl and Shane would be the go to team in case they didn't return when expected. The group was prepared for most anything as the space inside the prison converted into a weapons supply was fully stocked thanks to the last run and the raiding of a National Guard's armory and a gun store.

Glenn is driving the spacious van as Maggie sits beside him, Rick and Michonne take up the second row seat while Beth, T-Dog and Noah occupy the third row seat. T-Dog sat in the middle of the two with a huge smile, carrying out Herschel's orders of 'watch those two' with gusto. They travel at a good pace as they follow Martinez and Shumpert.

Almost thirty minutes later, they come to a stop behind the tan truck as Martinez blows his horn twice, signaling the guards on the wall. They are allowed inside where Phillip Blake and a few others are waiting.

They exit the vehicle slowly as Phillip greets them with a smile, starting introductions immediately. Rick is surprised that he remembered all of their names.

"You don't know how glad we are to have you here. How about a little tour before we get the festivities started?" Phillip asks. "I'm also gonna have to ask that you leave your weapons here with Shumpert and Martinez. You'll get them back later."

The group agrees reluctantly, giving up their weapons as T-Dog and Rick fall in step behind Phillip, Noah and Glenn behind them, and Maggie, Beth, and Michonne bringing up the rear.

At the end of the tour, the group is impressed with Woodbury. The apartments are modestly furnished, they have running water, a decent supply of food and weapons, vehicles, an infirmary and most of all, they have people. The walls seem to be holding up well and the community appears to be thriving.

Rick and Glenn compliment Phillip on how well the community is functioning.

"Thank you. We've been lucky," Phillip adds. "So how would you ladies like to do a little shopping before lunch?"

"Shopping?" Beth asks.

"Yes, this used to be a small shopping plaza and some of the ladies put together something of a boutique. We passed it not long ago, but I figured the men wouldn't be too interested in stuff like that." He leads them to the store, introduces the woman behind the counter as Betsy, tells her to take good care of his guests, then leaves with Rick, Glenn, Noah, and T-Dog.

"Why do I feel like he was trying to get rid of us? Like the women can't hear what the men have to discuss?" Michonne asks Maggie.

"Who knows? Let them do what they want. Don't you want to see what's here?" Maggie returns.

Beth has already started to browse so Maggie and Michonne do the same.

Meanwhile, Phillip is trying to lead the others to an office like structure but Rick tells him whatever he wants to discuss can be done right where they are. The five of them stop in the middle of the square where Rick has the clothing store in his purview. He doesn't believe these people mean them any harm, but he is also not going to let his guard down.

"Well, I just thought we'd have a drink while you tell me what you think of Woodbury," Phillip suggests.

"We're fine. Thank you," Rick offers.

Phillip nods and turns to T-Dog. "So, is this some place you'd like to live?"

"Well sure, it's nice but the prison is our home," T-Dog answers.

"Understood, but there's safety in numbers. These walls have held and we've made this place pretty safe. We've got the room for all of you. The prison can't possibly afford you with what you've seen here. We have access to water, electricity, although limited, and we have an infirmary with a physician. Most folks would think of this as a paradise with everything that's going on right now."

Rick almost extends an invitation for Phillip and some of his people to visit the prison but decides against it as Glenn answers with, "We have those things at the prison. Herschel is a vet and Jacqui was in nursing school but we've done alright. I don't see why we can't just be neighbors and watch each other's backs so to speak."

Phillips scoffs as he listens, then plasters a fake smile on his face and says, "Of course. How about I show you our gun range?"

"Just as long as we stop by and retrieve the ladies. They wouldn't want to miss seeing the gun range," Glenn tells Phillip.

The gun range was an enclosed area behind one side of the plaza. There were targets set up and at least five men already there with wooden crates at their feet.

Phillip asks one of them to demonstrate what he has learned in the last week. Everyone watches as the young man retrieves a gun and a silencer from the crate, attaches the two and positions himself to fire at one of the targets.

He appears to be good, only missing the target completely two times. Phillip walks over to him and gives him a clap on the back.

"You see. I'm gearing up for war. I'm going to get these people trained and we're going out there and take our world back from the dead. The more people I have, the more assured I am that we can make things right again."

"You can't possibly think that. Have you taken a look around? Those things outnumber us…..point blank. We can't even go into the city because it would be suicide," Michonne states. "Taking your people out there when it's not necessary is a sure way to lose them. Then what?"

"Well, what would you propose young lady? That we just sit here and allow them to take over?" Phillip asks, giving her his full attention.

"We survive. We outlive them. Those things are dead. They're decaying every day. Of course we don't know how long it takes one to fully decay but surely they will, right?" Michonne looks around to the others.

"I never thought of it like that, but you're right. If we don't eat, we die so maybe the same holds true for those things. In addition to that, they're wasting away whether they eat or not, aren't they?" Maggie offers.

"But people are being bitten and turned and their numbers continue to grow," one of the Woodbury men says. "We ain't growing like they are."

Phillip doesn't like the path the conversation is taking so he brings it back to his talk of war. "I'm not dismissing your ideas in anyway…..Michonne, but we have to be proactive against this thing. We just can't sit here and wait for them to waste away."

"Of course I didn't mean that literally but you don't have to gather up this army and seek them out either," she returns.

Phillip turns to Rick. "Is she always this opinionated?"

Michonne gasps. "As a matter of fact, I am. I…."

Phillip holds his hands up with a laugh. "I was only joking. Don't chop my head off." He moves on, telling the group to follow him. He leads them to a small office where a light haired man sits at a desk wearing headphones. He taps the man on the shoulder, making him jump up from his chair, startled.

"Phillip, how many times do I have to ask you not to do that?" The man tries to control his breathing as a hand goes to his chest. He notices the group and removes the headphones. "Oh, hello. I didn't think I'd be meeting our guests. I'm Milton….Milton Mamet."

Phillip makes the introductions again and says, "Milton here is somewhat of a scientist. He's been…uh….experimenting with some things." He turns to Milton. "Would you mind leading us out back?"

Milton suddenly looks nervous as his eyes dart from Phillip to their guests and back again. "Are you sure?"

"It's fine, Milton," Phillip assures.

Milton places the headphones on the desk and clears his throat. "Well….follow me." He leads them to a rear exit where he proceeds to unlock the door and removes two wooden boards the others assume are there for safety measures.

The exit leads out into a small yard like area with more dirt than grass and in the far corner of the lot is a rusted cage full of walkers.

Rick, Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, T-Dog, Noah, and Beth reach for their weapons, quickly remembering they'd given them up at Phillip's request when they first arrived.

"What the hell is this?!" Rick yells.

"You're keeping walkers back here?!" Glenn asks.

"Why?" Michonne adds.

Milton looks to Phillip then says, "Calm down please. Everything's fine. Phillip allows me to….to conduct experiments using the walkers."

"Experiments? What kind of experiments?" T-Dog inquires.

"Honestly, we can get into all of that later. The reason I brought you out here is that Michonne put something on my mind. What if the walkers _are_ wasting away? Maybe Milton here can hold on to a couple of these and see how long it takes them to decay down to nothing. What do you think?" Phillip smiles as he feels like this will serve in winning this group over to his side and his way of doing things.

"I think it's dangerous for you to keep walkers right here in your backyard," T-Dog states.

"We have our reasons. That prison of yours is huge. Can you truly say you've cleared it of every single walker?"

When the group doesn't answer, Phillip moves on. "This might be our way back to what we had before. I don't know about you but I'm willing to try anything."

"Including risking your people's lives? This community?" Rick asks. "Are you gonna be the one to lick this thang? Bring us back from the brink?"

Phillip considers Rick's words then scoffs. "Enough of the serious talk. How about we get ready for lunch? I'll show you where you can freshen up."

They were led to two apartments across the hall from each other. Maggie, Glenn, Beth, and Noah filed off into one while Rick, Michonne, and T-Dog went inside the other. Phillip told them he'd be back in half an hour.

While T-Dog was busy in the bathroom, Michonne was sure to show Rick the few larger sized clothes she was able to procure from the boutique. She knew she'd be needing something warmer and larger soon so visiting the boutique wasn't a complete waste of time.

He smiles with the thought of her body changing as their child grows. He looks around the apartment and for the first time wonders if the prison is the right place for them. "What do you think about this place? Do you think we'd be better off here than at the prison?"

"With the way that Phillip guy is talking? No thank you." She packs away her clothing items and takes a look at Rick, seeing that he is deep in thought. "Hey. What's wrong?"

"This place has an infirmary, a doctor…..maybe we should consider that….for the baby," he tells her.

Michonne moves over to him. "Rick we're going to be fine and so is the baby. The prison isn't the best but it's ours. Besides, Jacqui and Herschel wouldn't let anything happen to me or the baby. We don't even know these people here. We're going home. Okay?"

He smiles as he looks into her eyes. "We're going home."

Lunch was a small affair and uneventful. The group was ready to end their visit and return to the prison but Phillip insisted on them staying for dinner. He stated that his people had been planning this get together for the entire week and there was no way he could allow them to miss it. Of course that meant staying overnight and the group had their reservations but chose to stay.

They are now attending Woodbury's so called festivities. Stringed lights adorn a small garden area which leads to a building where buffet style dining has been arranged as well as a dessert table. The group is most impressed but can't help but wonder why Phillip chose to do all of this for them.

T-Dog holds in a gasp as he sees the red head who was at the prison before. He avoids looking at her, part of him hoping she wouldn't see him and the other part hoping she would. The latter wins out as she notices him and starts walking his way.

"Hey. T-Dog right? I'm Zoe. Remember me?" She asks with a smile.

T-Dog returns the smile but wonders where the brooding, creepy looking woman from a week ago had gone. This lady before him appeared…happy, approachable. "Nice to see you again. I'm surprised you remembered my name."

"How could I forget you?"

T-Dog is ready to bolt. _This woman sounds like she is flirting with me but that can't be right. Can it?_ He looks around cautiously, thinking maybe he could catch somebody's eye and they'd come to rescue him. No such luck as Rick and Michonne are engaged with Phillip, Glenn and Maggie are conversing with another young couple, and Beth and Noah are seated at a table, eating. He brings his eyes back to Zoe. "Listen, I…."

"Let's take a walk ok?"

T-Dog agrees reluctantly, allowing Zoe to lead him away. Unbeknownst to both of them, Phillip is watching. The latter turns his attention back to Rick and Michonne, trying not to appear anxious about what Zoe could be up to. He decides he has more important matters to handle as he offers Rick and Michonne some of the best wine the community has in stock.

"No thank you. We're not drinking," Rick tells him.

"Oh, not wine people eh? That's fine. I've got some of the smoothest whiskey in…."

Michonne interrupts him. "Really. It's fine. I don't want anything."

"Well, it's not like you're driving tonight. Come on, live a little," Phillip encourages.

"She's not drinking because she's pregnant," Rick supplies.

Phillip and Michonne both are taken aback at Rick's words but for completely different reasons. The former can't believe the beautiful woman in front of him is taking that sort of chance in this world and the latter can't believe her boyfriend felt the need to share such a private matter with someone they hardly know, especially given the fact they haven't told everyone at the prison yet.

"Well," Phillip begins breathlessly, "that's….congratulations. Forgive me if I seem a bit surprised. I just….I didn't think things like that were still happening these days."

"We'd appreciate your discretion," Rick states.

"Of course, of course. Listen. I don't want to pry but that is all the more reason for you to come here to live. You're going to need people. We have a doctor….this could be a good thing for all of us," Phillip implores.

Rick tries to hide his aggravation as Phillip will not let up about them moving to Woodbury. "How about we take the night and think it over? We'll let you know something before we leave in the morning."

"Excellent. That's a good…idea." Phillip is distracted as his mind is twirling with the information Rick just supplied him with. He appreciated Michonne's beauty before but now…..now she could be the answer to everything. He had never thought about procreating. That was something people should be avoiding nowadays but these two…..they made the choice to do this and appear to be fine with it. He looks between the two of them curiously before his eyes drop to Michonne's stomach. He realizes he is staring and excuses himself.

Rick watches him walk off then turns back to Michonne only to drop his head when he sees the fire sparkling in her eyes.

Meanwhile, T-Dog is listening attentively as Zoe chronicles her time at Woodbury. She lost her brother here and it was all the Governor's fault.

"Wait a minute. Who is the Governor?" T-Dog asks.

"That's Phillip. That's what we call him."

"What? Why?"

"It's what we were told when we were brought in. He brings people in, puts a gun in their hand and forces them to fight walkers. We lose people all the time but he doesn't care. He just brings more in. If you and your people want to live, go back to that prison and stay there." She sighs heavily. "Someone has to do something and I'm tired of waiting around. He's been after me, you know. For a long time. If I can….stomach it, I can get close to him, earn his trust and then put a knife in his heart."

T-Dog shakes his head in disbelief. "Why are you telling me all of this? If you feel this way, then just leave."

"I don't have anybody else to tell. If I said this to one person here, they'd make their way straight to him. You looked like someone I could trust. I hope I was right. As for leaving, I've tried. He and his goons have found me twice so I just stopped trying."

"Listen. I'll talk to Rick…maybe you can come back to the prison with us," T-Dog offers.

"I can't put you and your people at odds with him. I just wanted to warn you because no one else will. It was nice talking to you, T…..what's your real name?"

"Theodore."

Zoe smiles despite the direness she feels. "It was really nice talking to you. I'm glad I met someone who would listen. Just be sure and get your people out of here ok?" She touches his arm lightly then stands and walks away.

T-Dog is not sure how he can help her but he does know he needs to tell his people what Zoe told him so they can hightail it out of there at first light.

XXXXXXXXXX

Phillip sits in the high backed lounge chair, staring at the partially lit aquarium in front of him. He sips from the glass of amber colored whiskey and sighs heavily. Up until today, he thought he had the best plan to try to bring the human race back from the brink. He could build his army and continue to fight against the walkers. He had Milton to conduct his experiments, maybe even find a cure in addition to documenting how long it would take the dead to completely decay.

This woman has come in and changed everything for him. She suggested that they could outlive the walkers and she's even willing to help re-populate the earth by having a baby. She's beautiful, she's smart, and she's fertile. He hasn't seen her take on any walkers, but she has survived this long and he would bet his life that sword at her back is not for decoration.

A thump draws his attention to the door right beside the aquarium. He smiles, thinking it's time to give his daughter some attention. He looks over at the severed heads in the aquarium, remembering every kill, human and walker. The walkers were a threat and any human who had the audacity to question his authority or threaten him….well most of them didn't live to question him or threaten him again.

He sets the tumbler aside and moves over to the door unlocking it. He switches on the light inside the small closet like room and grabs the chain, unlinking it from its tether on the wall. He guides the tiny body to the lounge chair, cringing as her feet scrape against the floor and her slight snarls reach his ears.

He sits down in the chair, holding the little girl in place in front of him. He opens the drawer on the stand at his side and retrieves a brush. He then removes the cloth bag from his daughter's head, revealing her discolored, and decaying fleshy face. Penny was bitten not long after the world went haywire. They had lost her mother two years before that to a car accident and Phillip could not bring himself to put down his own daughter. He would hold on until Milton found a cure. He didn't have a choice. He kept her fed just as he did before. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for his little girl.

He takes the brush and slowly starts to pull it through Penny's light brown hair. He hums to her just like he used to. He may even read her favorite bedtime story tonight. He knows how much she likes it. "Daddy has some wonderful plans, sweetheart. How would you like a little brother or a little sister?"


	19. Chapter 19

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 19)

 **A/N: Hello all! I'm back with another update. As always, thanks for the awesome support. I appreciate all of you so much.**

 _Previously: Rick, Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, Beth, Noah, and T-Dog travel to Woodbury at the Governor's invitation while Daryl, Sasha, Shane, Jacqui, and Herschel remain at the prison. While at Woodbury, they learn of the Governor's plan to wage war on the undead and his need of them to join his community._

 _Rick's reveal of Michonne's condition only increases the Governor's growing infatuation with her._

XXXXXXXXXX

Rick and Michonne awake before the sun rises, anxious to exit Woodbury and make their way home. He had a little making up to do with his significant other for revealing their pregnancy to a complete stranger. She forgave him and now wonders if they should tell the others sooner rather than later. They leave the apartment with T-Dog, meeting up with Glenn, Maggie, Noah, and Beth before walking towards the front gate. T-Dog was sure to tell them about his conversation with Zoe and they are ready to make haste.

Martinez is there keeping watch and asks quickly, "Y'all meet with the Governor this early?"

"No. We didn't know we had to meet with him again. We're heading back to the prison," Rick informs.

"Well just hold on. I need clearance from him before I can let you leave," Martinez states.

"Clearance?" Glenn frowns and looks to the others.

They all watch and wait as Martinez makes his way down from the wall and goes in search of the Governor.

"I don't like this. The man knew we were leaving, so why the hold up?" T-Dog wonders.

"I sure would feel better if I had my knife," Glenn states.

Maggie was about to agree but refrains as the Governor and Martinez make their way to them.

"Gosh! You people are early risers I see. Well I would be remiss in sending you off without offering you breakfast. I also thought we were going to discuss you possibly making Woodbury your new home. Was I….wrong in that assumption?" the Governor asks.

"We're going to remain at the prison. I hope that doesn't affect any type of alliance between us," Rick informs.

The Governor smiles. "Not at all. I understand you've made a place for yourselves and you wanna see it work. Good luck to you but I really would like it if you'd stay for breakfast."

"We should be getting back. Could we get our weapons and our vehicle?" T-Dog inquires.

Rick gives him a look but remains quiet.

"Of course, of course. Martinez will you see to that for me please?"

There is an awkward silence as Martinez leaves to carry out his task and the Governor is left alone with the group. The latter tries his best not to focus on Michonne but he can't help himself.

Rick notices immediately and casually steps in front of her, blocking the Governor's view. He takes her hands into his and talks to her quietly, relieved to hear a vehicle approaching.

Martinez parks their van at the gate and gets out, leaving the engine running. "All your weapons are inside but you can check to be sure we didn't forget anything."

"I appreciate you all taking the time to visit with us. Hopefully we can do this again real soon," the Governor offers.

"Thank you," Maggie responds.

"You've got a real nice place here," Beth offers.

Glenn and T-Dog do a quick, thorough check and once everything is in order and their extra things loaded inside, they all pile in. Noah takes the wheel and they watch as the gates are opened.

They all take a last look around before slowly making their way out of Woodbury.

Martinez and the Governor watch as Shumpert and another man close and lock the gates.

"You let them go just like that?" Martinez asks.

"Don't fret. I've got plans for them. We'll give it a week before we set things in motion," the Governor relays.

Martinez nods and makes his way back to the wall to continue watch duty.

The group returns to the prison safely, happy to be home and away from the oddness of Woodbury and the Governor.

T-Dog and Glenn inform the others about their visit and Shane asks the question, "Is this Phillip/Governor guy somebody we should be worried about?"

Rick contemplates his answer and finally says, "I don't think so. Hopefully they'll keep their distance."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Donna please stop this," Tyreese demands as he holds her at arm's length inside the vehicle. They were parked by a lake having spent the night there utilizing the truck for safety. He was awakened by Donna's hand stroking his manhood through his pants.

"But it was always so good between us. It could be like it was before. You chose to leave with me. You chose to let me live," she reminds him.

"I chose that because I didn't want someone else's death on my conscious. If we're going to survive this together then things have to be different this time. Let's….talk. Tell me about yourself," he requests.

Donna sits back with a huff. "You know what you need to know. What more is there?"

"I want to know about you. What kind of movies did you like? What books did you read? Where did you work?"

"What does any of that matter now? Look around Tyreese. We don't know from one day to the next if we'll survive this so why can't we just enjoy each other like we used to?"

"So you don't want to get to know me? All I am to you is….sex?"

"No, of course not. I….I love you. Isn't that enough?"

Tyreese closes his eyes, trying to hold on to what little patience he has left. He knows he has to make the best of this somehow. It was his choice and he has to make this work. "I was a news buff. I wanted to know what was happening everywhere….all over the world. Disasters, wars, politics, crime….you name it." He turns to her. "I never saw anything like this coming though."

Donna does not want to relive the past but she is willing to do whatever it takes to win Tyreese back. "I….I used to be real good at baking. I even thought about opening a bakery once."

He gives her an encouraging smile. "So what was your specialty?"

The sun is high in the sky by the time they start traveling. They converse with each other smoothly with a few lapses here and there, but Tyreese is content with the effort Donna is putting forth. He is still saddened by what she did and questions his actions every day especially when he thinks of Karen. Maybe if he'd tried harder with Donna, Karen would still be alive. He sighs heavily and brings his attention back to her.

They were rounding a bend when Donna yells, "Tyreese look out!"

He slams on the breaks and the vehicle jerks to a stop. A group of walkers is blocking the road, mired down in mud but still clawing and growling. He canvases the area, wondering if he could drive around them. The dip off the road is low and muddy and he'd risk getting stuck if he went that route. He looks behind them to make sure the way is clear and just when he puts the vehicle in reverse, another truck pulls up behind him.

He and Donna share a look of panic as three men and a woman exit the truck carrying weapons. He quickly shoves a gun into one of his boots and covers it with his pants. He looks to Donna, "Just let me do all the talking ok?"

"What if they're like that other group?"

"Just stay calm. We'll be fine," he assures her.

"You in there! Show me your hands! Stick them out the window!" A short dark haired man instructs them.

Donna and Tyreese oblige before exiting the truck slowly as they are told.

"So it's just the two of you?" The man asks.

"Yes," Tyreese answers.

"Y'all got a camp or something?"

"No. We uh….we've just been out here driving, looking."

The strangers exchange glances before turning their attention back to Donna and Tyreese.

"We've got a camp and we need people. You interested?"

Tyreese is unsure if he should take the chance but knows he and Donna can't keep wandering aimlessly. "We need a place. Is it safe?"

"I'll let you judge for yourself. Name's Martinez."

XXXXXXXXXX

Two days pass before the Governor is able to make his way to the prison. He watches from a distance through binoculars, ensuring that his presence would not be detected. He only had Shumpert to accompany him as he wanted to keep this as quiet as possible. He finally catches a glimpse of Michonne, his heart rate increasing, his breathing accelerated. He smiles inwardly then huffs as Rick Grimes comes into view and kisses her on the lips in front of everybody.

He snatches the binoculars away from his face with an expletive. He grits his teeth in frustration, knowing that the only peace he would have is when she is safely behind the walls of Woodbury and Rick Grimes is writhing in pain with a knife in his heart.

He taps the door of the truck twice, signaling Shumpert to drive away.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Rick it's only to collect berries. Herschel needs them and I should help him," Michonne states.

"I still don't understand why someone else can't help him. Heck I'll go. You stay here," he counters.

Michonne sighs heavily. "Ok fine. I'll just take your place and help T-Dog with the generators." She moves to walk out of the cell but Rick quickly blocks her path.

"Alright. You can help Herschel collect his berries. Can't Jacqui go too?"

"She's spending time with Shane and I'm not helpless you know. Herschel and I will be fine," she assures him.

He drops his head with a sound exhalation and gives in. "You're right. I know you're right. I worry too much. I'll try and do better."

"Besides Herschel said he's sure he can brew me up some tea to help with my morning sickness."

He nods before looking deeply into her eyes. He places a kiss on her forehead, tasting the slight perspiration. "You ok?"

"I'm fine." She struggles to keep a straight face as her stomach starts to roil.

"I'll see you soon." He gives one of her hands a quick squeeze before walking off in search of T-Dog.

Michonne tosses her sword on the bed and races to the bucket in the corner, her breakfast coming up with a splatter. Her breaths come in a rush as she tries to gain control of her body. She knew if she threw up in front of him again, his argument for her to remain inside would've been stronger. She waits for several minutes to ensure she wouldn't experience another episode before grabbing her sword and the bucket. She steps to the door and looks both ways before exiting.

She smiles widely at Herschel as they make their way cautiously through the woods in search of berries that he will utilize for medicinal purposes as well as sustenance.

"You feeling alright?" He asks.

"I'm doing fine. The sun feels wonderful and the fresh air isn't bad either. Good thing we've been burning the walker bodies. That has helped tremendously with the stench," she answers.

"I'm surprised Rick didn't put up more of a fuss." Herschel laughs.

"Oh he wanted to. Believe me. He's going to get better though."

Herschel rubs his bearded face. "For some reason, I don't think so. Your growing belly is just going to remind him of what he has to protect and I want you to let him."

"Rick doesn't have to protect me. I can protect myself."

"We all know that but having some help never hurt so let him be the husband and father he wants to be, the man you deserve."

She looks over to Herschel with admiration. "Well….when you put it like that….." She trails off as they both laugh then freeze when they detect the sound of walkers from a distance.

"Too many you think?"

"Doesn't sound like it but we'd better be careful and maybe go in another direction. How many berries have you found?"

"I've got one small basket almost full but we can try again another day."

The noise of a vehicle at the tree line near the road draws their attention. Michonne immediately thinks it could be Rick but decides he'd just come on foot if he wanted to find them. She motions for Herschel to be quiet as they slowly make their way in the direction from whence they came.

The click of more than one weapon being readied for fire has them both spinning around to face the threat. She recognizes the Governor and his people and exhales in relief. "Hi. Are y'all on your way to the prison?"

"Not exactly." The Governor steps out front, his gun still at the ready. "I'm gonna need you to come with me."

"Excuse me?" Michonne frowns in confusion.

"Walk towards me. Martinez here will escort you to the truck and we'll all go back to Woodbury," the Governor explains.

"I'm not going to Woodbury."

The Governor lifts his gun and aims at Herschel's head. "Oh I think you are. Come with me or your friend here dies."

The small collection of berries she had falls to the ground as she reaches behind her to grab her sword and places herself in front of Herschel.

Herschel whispers, "Don't." He can see her hand tightening around the hilt of her sword, ready to strike.

"Uh-uh. I wouldn't do that if I were you," the Governor says. "Take their weapons."

"What is this about?" Herschel asks as he and Michonne are relieved of their weapons.

"We'll discuss all of that when we're back in Woodbury."

Michonne is seething with anger as Martinez grabs her. She jerks away but the Governor swiftly puts his gun to Herschel's temple to gain her cooperation. She can only watch as Cathy and Zoe push the older man towards their vehicle, the basket of berries knocked out of his hand. Her stomach starts to roil in the worst way and she bends at the waist, vomiting onto the forest floor.

Martinez grunts as he steps behind her and urges her to move forward.

Less than an hour later they were pulling inside Woodbury but Cathy drove to the very rear of the community, away from watchful eyes.

Herschel is immediately carted off in one direction by Cathy and Zoe while Michonne is led away by the Governor and Shumpert.

"Where are you taking him?" Michonne demands.

"Just keep walking," the Governor responds.

She is escorted inside a very spacious and well furnished apartment.

The Governor gives Shumpert some instructions to which the latter asks, "You want someone to guard the door? I can get that new guy to do it. He's been working out real good."

"Send him over. Then you, Martinez and the others make the preparations we discussed. I'll join you shortly."

During their exchange, Michonne makes a quick scan of the area, trying to gauge what she could use as a weapon. She hears the closing of the door and the click of the lock and brings her attention back to the Governor. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Well I wanted to give you a little time to adjust but I guess the sooner you know what's going to happen, the sooner you'll accept it." He motions for her to move forward. They enter the living area where he asks her to take a seat.

"No thank you. If this is about us joining you, then we can discuss this with Rick. We can work something out."

"I've already worked it out. You are going to join me here and help me run Woodbury. Be my first lady so to speak."

Michonne scoffs. "I don't think so. I'm with Rick and I'm not leaving him."

"The point is darling you won't have to leave him because I'm going to kill him," the Governor smiles at the slight expression of disbelief on her face.

"You can try," she threatens menacingly.

His smile grows wider as he witnesses the determined glint in her eyes. "Are you threatening me honey? Well that's no way to treat your future husband and father of your children."

"Rick is my…"

"Well that's about to change!" The Governor shouts. "First order of business is that you never speak his name again! Do you hear me?! Then…..then we'll have this pregnancy terminated. I can't raise another man's seed as my own."

Tears of anger and frustration glisten in her eyes but before she could respond, a loud thump from another room startles her.

"Damn it. I'm afraid I've been neglectful and now she's acting up. I want you to meet your step daughter but I'd better get her some dinner first. You too. You must be starving."

Michonne quells down the panic that tries to take hold of her. Somehow she has to find a way out of this mess.

XXXXXXXXXX

Rick checks his watch yet again, wondering where Herschel and Michonne could be. He knows they should've returned by now and his anxiety is rising. He takes a deep breath and was about to walk off when he bumps into Glenn.

They steady each other and apologize before Glenn says, "Maggie's worried about her dad and Michonne. They should've been back by now."

"Yeah I know. Something's not right. I was going to ask Daryl to come with me to find them. They couldn't have gone far but he's better at tracking than I am."

Glenn agrees. "Come on. I'm going too."

Ten minutes later, the three of them were walking into the woods near the prison in search of Herschel and Michonne. They spread out at a small distance to cover more ground, but are within sight of each other at all times.

Several more minutes pass before Glenn signals for them to see what he has found. Rick and Daryl stare down at the basket they know belongs to Herschel, the berries scattered on the ground nearby.

Rick grits his teeth and tries to reign in his emotions. Daryl searches the area and finds more berries and something else.

"Over here," he tells them.

Glenn and Rick join him, the latter going down on his haunches looking at the liquidity substance. He knows immediately what it is and lets out a harsh curse.

"Guys….this is…..this is not looking good," Glenn states.

"Naw….it ain't," Daryl agrees as he walks toward the tree line. "We got tire marks. We may need to get a car. We don't know how far they got."

"So you think they were taken?" Rick asks cautiously.

"What else could it be? Ain't no walker bodies around and they ain't here. Left the berries they came out here especially to get. Yeah something ain't right with this."

Rick takes a deep breath and exhales as he looks up to the sky.

Glenn grabs his shoulder with a squeeze. "We'll find them."

Rick's desperation is detected in his voice as he states, "We _have_ to."


	20. Chapter 20

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 20)

 **A/N: Hello all. Hope you've been looking forward to this update because I'm glad to finally be delivering it to you. Enjoy!**

 _Previously: Rick, Michonne, and the others leave Woodbury while Tyreese and Donna end up there. The Governor watches the prison from afar and kidnaps Michonne and Herschel._

XXXXXXXXXX

The anxiety and fear continues to run through Rick's veins, his thoughts consumed with Michonne as they prepare to start a search. He sends up a silent prayer while he gathers what they could possibly need. He left it to Glenn and Daryl to tell the others what was going on and now they are all gathered in the courtyard, discussing who goes and who stays.

He has no time for arguments. He places some items in the bed of the truck and turns to the others, interrupting them. "Listen. I know all of you want to take part in this but we don't know what we're dealing with, what we could be facing so it's best if some of us stay behind to guard this place."

"But do you really think someone took daddy and Michonne? Why would they do that?" Beth asks.

"I don't know. We don't know much of anythang right now but we've got some tracks and that's our best bet of finding them." He gives her a nod. "We'll bring them back Beth. I promise."

"Alright. All this talking ain't doing us a bit of good. We gotta go," Daryl states as he steps to Sasha and gives her a short but thorough kiss.

Maggie grabs Glenn in a tight hug and kisses him soundly. Shane was about to do the same with Jacqui but T-Dog interrupts. "I'm going man. You stay here."

Shane shakes his head. "Naw I….."

"No arguments." T-Dog is firm as he walks to the truck and takes the passenger side next to Rick in the driver's seat. Daryl and Glenn climb into the back while Noah and Maggie race to open the gates.

Meanwhile Michonne is struggling like never before not to gag. There can't possibly be anything left in her stomach to come up but that doesn't stop the churning and roiling. Between the disgust she feels and the fear of dealing with someone who is obviously insane, she is having a difficult time.

The low growls, the smacking, and the clang of the chains dominant the room as Phillip tries to carry on a conversation with her at his dinner table. Only a few feet away from them, a child walker is on her knees in front of a tin bowl filled with human appendages. Her semi white dress is stained with blood, pieces of human flesh clinging to the material, her face smeared with gore as she holds a foot to her mouth and gnaws on it continuously.

Michonne darts her eyes from the child to Phillip and back again, unable to look away, watching their every move to ensure her safety. All she has within reach are plastic utensils, a plate full of food, and a cup but she is prepared to use them if need be.

"You haven't touched your food. I thought you'd be starving," the Governor tells her. He laughs as he looks to his daughter. "Penny sure is hungry isn't she?"

Michonne wants to remain silent but part of her honestly hurts for this mad man. He clearly couldn't bring himself to put down his child so he decided to keep her in this state which only proves how unstable he is. That and the fact that he is feeding her. She doesn't even want to garner where he is getting the bodies. The flesh on the parts doesn't appear decayed, the blood isn't discolored…..She lets out a deep breath and wills herself to put her mind on something else. "How….how long has she been this way?"

"Way? What way? Hungry?" He asks.

"She's…..your daughter's a walker," she offers.

"Her name is Penny and she will always be my child…..our child," he corrects. "She's the reason I'm going to make this world right again. Milton will find a cure but until he does we can't have those vermin killing us off." He claps his hands suddenly and smiles. "I'm not going to talk shop today. We're supposed to be having a nice meal together as a family, one of many to come. Things are going to be so much better now. Penny has a mother and soon she'll be a big sister."

"I….."

"Milton and Dr. Stevens will take care of your problem tomorrow. I think they said we'd have to wait a few weeks before we can start on our family but that's fine. I'll be patient." He takes a sip from his cup. "So tell me what you did before the turn."

She is slow to answer, trying to piece her words together carefully. "None of that matters now."

The Governor gives her a curious look. "I suppose you're right. We have to live in the here and now. Is that what you're trying to tell me?"

"We….we can't live in the past." She is trying to work her way up to telling him that he needs to put Penny down. She knows she shouldn't care but having a walker only a few feet away and not driving something through its head is making her even more anxious.

"I couldn't agree more. You have to let go of your past and embrace your future and I'm going to help that along. I wasn't going to take the prison until tomorrow but why wait? Rick and his baby are keeping you from your future with me and Penny so I'm going to take care of it all. Tomorrow will be a new day for us."

The mention of harm coming to Rick and their baby yet again is pulling forth her anger more than any other emotion coursing through her. "Do you honestly think I'm just going to sit here while you dictate what happens in my life? What makes you think you can get rid of Rick so easily? Are you that threatened by him?"

"Do I look worried about facing a dead man?" He counters.

"He's not a dead man and you should be worried about facing me."

The Governor scoffs, his upper lip twitching with anger. "We'll see what you'll be saying when I bring you his fucking head on a platter." He pushes away from the table forcefully and walks toward Penny. He kicks the bowl away from her and bends down to lift her to her feet. She growls and snarls, snapping her teeth at him as he chains her hands and places a hood over her head.

Once he leaves the room, Michonne looks around wildly, trying to grab something more substantial than plastic utensils. He tied one of her ankles to the leg of the chair but she doesn't care. She wraps her hands around the seat of the chair and tries to stand while lifting it to keep the noise at a minimum. She inches toward the kitchen and reaches for the first drawer she comes to.

The Governor returns from securing Penny, sees Michonne's place at the table vacated, and takes several long, hurried strides to reach her. He grabs her by the hair and swings her around to face him. She grimaces and gasps as the chair doesn't move with her and she twists her ankle in the process. She grasps a small knife and tries to stab him but he clutches her wrist and forces her to drop it.

He drags her, chair and all, towards his bedroom, flinching as she connects with her one free hand and one free leg. He smiles as he realizes she is going to be a wild one in bed and that's just how he likes them.

Moments later, he has a bloody nose and a busted lip but she is secured to the bed. He steps back, admiring her angry glare and the way her chest heaves up and down rapidly with every breath. He retrieves a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and wipes his nose and mouth. "Violence between mates should never be tolerated. Don't force my hand again."

Michonne rolls her eyes before closing them briefly, wishing this nightmare would end. She clings to the thought of being reunited with Rick, safe in his arms once again. "I….am not….your mate."

He walks away and returns shortly, carrying her sheathed sword. "All of that will change very soon and I'm going to use your sword to make it happen." He gathers some other items and makes his way out the door. The new guy stands there, ever alert. The Governor sizes him up once again, knowing he is going to need strong men like this one on his side. "What was your name again?"

"Tyreese."

"Well you're doing a fine job so far Tyreese and I appreciate that. Now make sure no one goes in or out. Got it?"

Tyreese nods. "Everything ok in there? I heard some banging or something."

"Everything's fine. Just keep up the good work," the Governor tells him as he drapes the sword over his shoulder.

Tyreese stares at it, knowing only one person who carries a sword and questions the chances of this man having one that looks just like hers. He watches as the Governor walks away then looks at the door, wondering what could be on the other side.

The Governor meets with ten of his people, ensured that is all he needs to take the prison especially with the fire power they have. He plans to kill Rick first to show the others that they don't stand a chance against him. They would either follow him or die. The women will be spared as they are more valuable now than ever. He'd have his men impregnate them as soon as possible. He takes pride in his strategy, knowing that everything is coming together just as it should.

His eyes move to Zoe. She'd be the only one to give him some trouble but she is surprisingly quiet. He smiles, thinking to himself that she is learning. This isn't the first time nor will it be the last that they've conquered a group. He instructs them to be ready to leave in one hour as he has some things to take care of with Milton and Dr. Stevens beforehand. He walks off with Martinez, Shumpert, and Cathy in tow.

Zoe moves away from the others, her thoughts racing through her head like wild fire. She takes note of her surroundings, ensuring that most of them had branched off and wouldn't notice where she was going. She follows the Governor, watching as he and the others make their way to Milton's office. She makes a mad dash for his apartment only to have Tyreese detain her.

"Please," she begs. "Something awful is about to go down and I won't stand by any more and let it happen. It's not right."

"What are you talking about?" Tyreese asks with a frown.

Zoe looks around cautiously. "This place isn't what you think it is. The Governor is holding a woman against her will in there and he's preparing to take out the prison where her people are. You…."

"Wait a minute. Did you say prison?"

"Yes."

Before Zoe could say anything else, Tyreese is rushing inside the apartment, going from room to room and gasps when he comes to the bedroom and sees Michonne tied to the bed, her mouth covered with tape.

She lifts her head, her eyes glowing with hope when she recognizes him. She struggles against her restraints, desperate for him to release her.

"Michonne? What the….." He rushes forward and retrieves a knife to cut the ropes binding her. "What's going on?"

She quickly removes the tape from her mouth, groaning from the discomfort. She goes to speak but Zoe interrupts.

"You two know each other?" She shakes her head. "Never mind. There's no time. The Governor is preparing to go to the prison now. I was coming here to let you go. Maybe you can get to your people before we do and warn them."

"What about Herschel?" Michonne asks.

"I'll take you to him but I can't be gone long. They'll be looking for me. There's an old run down shack not far from here. I've been stockpiling supplies there and I hid a truck behind it. We went through that area weeks ago so it should be clear. Get there, get the truck, and go straight to the prison."

Michonne doesn't have to be told twice as she readies herself to escape Woodbury. She puts weight on the ankle she twisted earlier, ignoring the slight pain then looks to Tyreese. "Is Donna here?"

Tyreese nods. "She's too much of a wild card. I'll come back for her. Right now, we've got to get to the prison."

Michonne agrees after only a moment's pause. She knows Tyreese is right.

Zoe arms Michonne with a gun and a knife and leads them out of the apartment, the three of them exiting as quietly as possible. They choose a path behind the buildings to go unnoticed, coming to another apartment area where Zoe asks them to wait while she speaks to the guard watching Herschel. She has to resort to knocking him out as he was asking too many questions and growing suspicious.

Several minutes later, she brings Herschel to them, handing him a gun, and giving them precise directions to the shack. She escorts them to the rear of the community, promises to delay the Governor as much as she is able, and wishes them the best of luck. They thank her, check to see if the area is clear, and make their way over the wall.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Guys…..this road…..this direction….this is the way to Woodbury right?" Glenn asks cautiously.

"If that's where the tracks lead us then so be it," Rick states.

T-Dog shakes his head. "From what Zoe told me, this guy is crazy. We might be walking into a trap or something. How do we know they aren't scouting this road right now?"

"T's got a point Rick. We might need to ditch this truck. If they're the ones who took 'em they won't be expecting us on foot," Daryl relays.

Rick looks around cautiously, already leery of being watched. He knows he has to play this smart so he veers off the road, driving into the wooded area as far as he can to provide them some camouflage.

They exit the truck, gather what they will need, and continue towards Woodbury on foot. The tire tracks led in this direction and this is where they will go although none of them are completely sure they are on the right trail. Rick continues to focus on the task at hand, not allowing himself to dwell on what Michonne and Herschel could possibly be facing right now. _They're fine_. He repeats the words to himself over and over again.

A telltale snarl alerts them to the presence of a walker. They hunker down and scope the area to determine if it is a lone walker or several. Of course where there is one, there are others. They wait several beats and count at least six walkers. Daryl quietly takes out one with his crossbow and while he reloads the others move in with knives.

A gunshot echoes through the air and they all jerk toward the direction they think it came from. Glenn and Daryl finish off the last two walkers and Rick questions whether they should move towards the gunshot or away from it. T-Dog makes the decision for them as he walks towards it, another shot ringing out which propels them to move faster.

They come upon a dilapidated shack with a small herd of walkers gathered towards the entrance. Something or someone is drawing their attention but whoever it is they are fighting back as walkers continue to drop.

"The porch! Get up on the porch!" A man yells.

Rick, Daryl, Glenn, and T-Dog rush into the danger, using their knives to take the walkers out.

Three people make their way onto the porch, three people they recognize instantly. Michonne, Tyreese, and Herschel continue to fight the walkers even more determined now that they have some help and realize they will get out of this a lot faster than they anticipated.

The seven of them make quick work of the herd and Rick reaches Michonne in two long strides and a leap onto the porch. He pulls her into his arms and hugs her tightly. She holds him even tighter, whispering in his ear that she is ok.

Rick asks, "What happened?" but before he gets an answer T-Dog, Glenn, and Daryl follow with "How did you find Tyreese?" "Were you taken?" "Where's Donna?"

Michonne shakes her head. "It was Phillip…..the Governor….or whatever he calls himself but we've got to get home. He's on his way to the prison now. That girl Zoe helped us. She said she'd try to stall them but I don't know if she'll be able to."

"On the way to the prison for what?" Glenn asks.

Michonne looks to her boyfriend cautiously. "He plans to kill Rick."

"Fuck that," T-Dog exclaims.

"All of this because we didn't agree to join him?" Rick inquires.

"It's more to it than that. When I tell you he's crazy….I mean it," Michonne relays.

"There's a vehicle behind the shack. Let's go," Tyreese instructs.

The small SUV was hidden with tin panels and shrubbery but they manage to uncover it, get it started, and travel towards the prison.

Michonne remains quiet while Herschel tells of their abduction and Tyreese relays how he found her tied to a bed and gagged.

"Donna and I have only been there for a few days but I never would've suspected anything like this. The man is out of his mind."

"You left Donna there?" Glenn asks.

Tyreese nods guiltily. "I couldn't risk her messing this up. I had to help Michonne and Herschel get away. Plus Zoe was urgent about us making it to the prison. I think he plans to take it and we all know what that means."

Rick squeezes Michonne closer to him and whispers, "Are you sure you're ok?"

She looks into his eyes. "I'm fine but….." She stops mid-sentence as Tyreese slows down, noticing some vehicles in the distance.

"You think it's them?" Tyreese asks.

"Who else? Looks like they're having car trouble. Maybe Zoe was able to pull something off after all," T-Dog says.

"If we turn around, we'll never make it to the prison before they do," Glenn states.

Rick looks to Michonne then at the road ahead of them. "Keep going. They won't make it to the prison at all if I have anythang to do with it."

Michonne remains quiet, accepting Rick's decision to face the danger head on. She checks her gun for ammo and retrieves the knife she had from the vehicle's floor at her feet.

"Herschel, Michonne y'all should stay in the car, I….."

"I'm not staying inside. If we're going to face them then we're ALL going to face them," Herschel states. He checks his gun as well, preparing himself.

"Let's do this," Daryl utters.

Rick knows now is not the time to put forth any argument. He trusts in the ability of the people with him and prepares himself to face the group who poses a threat.

Tyreese travels to them slowly, parking several feet away. They all start to file out of the truck, Rick stepping in front with his hands up, his python on one hip, a hunting knife on the other, and an automatic weapon strapped to rest on his back.

Michonne is at his side, T-Dog on the opposite as the others gather behind them.

At least four people, including Zoe were standing by one of the vehicles with the hood up. She keeps her expression neutral as Martinez recognizes them and calls for the Governor.

"What the hell is going on now? I thought….." the Governor trails off as he encounters Rick and the others. His eyes zero in on Michonne and he grits his teeth in anger and aggravation. He rubs his temple anxiously. "How did you get out? You're not supposed to be here." He looks to Tyreese. "Is this your doing?"

"It is."

The Governor lets out a harsh breath, his hand itching to draw one of his weapons and unload on Rick Grimes but he can't take the chance of hitting Michonne. It would be best to lure Rick away from her first. "Well, things have changed so it seems. You found me out huh? This is all part of my elaborate scheme to get your people to join mine."

"Is that so?" Rick asks. "That's not what I heard. From what I've been told your scheme is to kill me and take the prison."

The Governor's laugh rings false as he contemplates Rick and formulates a plan to unnerve him. "Now why would I want to do a fool thing like that?"

"I'm hoping you'll answer that for me," Rick returns. He quickly sizes the Governor up, taking notice of Michonne's katana at his back, the gun at his hip, and he is more than sure he has a knife on him as well.

"Listen. We can talk through this amicably. I'll tell my people to stand down and I'm sure you'll do the same. We'll set some terms so our…..co-existence will be….peaceful."

Rick purses his lips in frustration, knowing this man is nothing but a snake in the grass and cannot be trusted. "Alright. Let's talk."

The Governor scoffs. "Well, this is kind of awkward with you way over there and me over here. Why don't you come a little closer?"

Rick smiles. "I got a better idea. How about we just meet half way?"

The Governor nods, throwing a look Martinez's way. A look that did not go unnoticed by any of the others in both groups. He walks forward to meet Rick half way in between the vehicles.

Michonne's hand itches to reach out and grab Rick and keep him by her side but she quells down the impulse and readies herself for a fight. For some reason, she thinks that's what it's going to come down to. She shares a look with her comrades before returning her attention to the two men standing face to face now.

The Governor looks down on Rick, trying to intimidate him but the latter stares right back, unwilling to glance away or even blink. The taller man leans forward and whispers in Rick's ear, "I want Michonne."

 **A/N: There is more to come and I promise not to make you wait much longer. Thanks for the awesome support.**


	21. Chapter 21

Parallel Hearts (Chapter 21)

 **A/N: I honestly don't know how to thank you all for continuing to support this story. I know I've said more than once that this was supposed to be a one shot and here we are on chapter 21. Just amazing. Richonne is the best and so are Richonners!**

 _Previously: Michonne and Herschel escape Woodbury with the help of Tyreese and Zoe. They meet Rick, Glenn, T-Dog, and Daryl on their way to rescue them and encounter the Governor and his people on the road back to the prison._

Rick tilts his head to one side. "Well I think that's where you're going to have a problem. She gets to choose who and what she wants and I honestly don't think she'd choose you." He frowns. "Your first mistake was taking her against her will, putting your hands on her. I'm almost sure that's not the way to win a woman over especially not that woman." He is barely able to restrain his anger at the thought of this asshole putting his hands on Michonne in any way.

The Governor's slight smugness dissipates as he tries to rein in his emotions. "Oh she'll come around especially after I kill you and tear out what you put in her belly."

Rick falters for a second at the mention of their child. "What the fuck did you just say?"

"You heard me. I get rid of you. I get rid of the baby. What will she have left? Nothing so she'll be more than open for someone and something new. I'll get her pregnant again and….."

Rick throws a hard right straight into the Governor's mouth. "Don't threaten my family. I'll kill you before I let anythang happen to them."

The Woodbury group raises their guns so the prison group does the same only Zoe lifts her hand and cautions her people to wait. She looks directly at T-Dog, hoping she can communicate to him that she doesn't want any gunfire between the two groups.

The Governor covers his mouth, hiding a smile as he knows he hit the mark he aimed for. He wanted Rick Grimes pissed off so he would make a mistake, a mistake that would lead to his death. "That's it Rick. Let all that frustration and aggression out. I know how it must feel knowing you're fighting a losing battle. I'm going to win because I always win."

Rick goes to hit him again but the Governor blocks his blow and counters with one of his own directly into Rick's stomach.

Michonne takes a step forward, everything in her wanting to race to Rick's side and end the Governor once and for all but she can feel Herschel tugging on her shirt from behind. She lets out a long, shaky breath and looks to T-Dog at her side. The latter gives her a reassuring nod. She knows Rick can do this on his own but she also knows they are better together…..in everything.

She focuses on the two men again, thinking that Rick would need a moment to recover but her boyfriend counters with a booted foot to the Governor's knee all while slightly doubled over holding his stomach.

The Governor lets out a yelp as he goes down on the knee Rick targeted. He makes a grab for his adversary but gets a hard elbow to the nose, the sound of bone cracking ringing in his ears and the flow of blood dribbling down into his slightly open mouth. "You son of a bi….."

WHAM! Rick punches him again, this time aiming for an eye. He goes to deliver another blow but the Governor grabs a hand gun from his holster and tries to point it but Rick grabs his wrist and knees him in the chest causing the Governor to relinquish his hold on the weapon.

Rick kicks the gun away and wraps his forearm around the Governor's neck, applying as much pressure as possible. He swings him around to face his people, ignoring the choking noises and the clawing fingers digging into his arm.

"I'm….gonna….ki…." The Governor attempts to speak, spewing blood in the process but Rick pulls upward, cutting off his air. The latter grabs Michonne's katana from the former's shoulder and tosses it to the ground.

"That doesn't belong to you." He gives his attention to the Woodbury group but doesn't loosen his hold. "I don't know what kind of place you're running or what you were hoping to accomplish at the prison but we _will_ fight back. Your man here kidnapped people, threatened to kill others….we've got enough shit to deal with just surviving." He strains to keep his hold on the Governor, knowing he can't afford to let go. "This ends here and now."

The Governor panics as he can feel himself getting dizzy and growing weaker. He scrambles for the knife at his back, ignoring the instinct to pull the arm away from his neck. The surprise is evident on his face when he is suddenly released. He plants his hands against the asphalt and coughs while attempting to suck in some air.

The click of a hammer being pulled back on a gun has him tensing to a freeze. He looks around wildly as he remains on his hands and knees, wondering what his next move should be.

"Put your hands up. Put 'em up now," Rick utters harshly. He looks off to the tree line of the forest and notices several walkers slowly making their way towards the road. "The prison is off limits to you and Woodbury is off limits to me. That's it. That's the deal. Take it and you live."

Michonne closes her eyes briefly as she shakes her head, knowing that they'd never be able to trust this man to keep his word. _Babe you have to know that_.

The Governor sputters. "You….you think you can set terms for me? I'm the leader. I tell _you_ what to do."

Rick takes one step closer and puts the barrel of his gun to the back of the Governor's head. "No more talking. This is done."

Zoe knows if Rick pulls that trigger it will only send the rest of them into a gun fight. She's not risking any more innocent lives so she does what she's been waiting to do ever since they brought her brother's body back to Woodbury. She breaks from her group, ignoring them as they call her name, and steps to stand at the Governor's side as he kneels.

Her eyes connect with his and she watches his lips as he tells her, "Do it." She nods and fires one shot straight to the Governor's temple, killing him instantly.

A chorus of gasps, expletives, and hisses sound from each group as they witness the Governor fall to the ground, unmoving.

Rick steps back as Zoe turns to face her people, placing herself in front of him. He watches as she lifts her hands, continuing to hold her gun.

The shock soon wears off and her people start launching questions at her….."Zoe what the hell are you doing?" "You just shot the Governor. Do you realize what you've done?" "Are you out of your mind?"

She takes a deep breath. "Say what you want but all of you know he was wrong. If he wasn't getting our people killed then he had us taking out other groups. Innocent people who didn't deserve what we did to them. I can't live like that anymore. This is a chance for us to do things the right way." She looks to Martinez, knowing he'd be the one to cause the most trouble. "You know I'm right. You wanna tell these good people what you've been doing for the Governor's daughter."

Martinez frowns. "You shut your mouth about that. I was just….doing what I was told to do, earning my keep."

"You were getting people killed and feeding body parts to a walker." She looks to the others. "Y'all knew about it but nobody said or did anything. It can be different now. Join me or join him." She points her gun at the Governor's body.

"You're siding with them?!" Martinez shouts.

"I'm not siding with anybody but tell me what these people have done wrong. They came to Woodbury at the Governor's invitation and decided they'd rather stay where they are. What's the crime in that? Yet he kidnaps this man's wife, threatens to kill their baby, and you're ok with that?" Zoe shouts.

Tyreese, Daryl, Glenn, and T-Dog want desperately to look to Michonne, wondering if she truly is pregnant but keep their eyes on the threats.

A shot echoes through the air as Cathy takes out a walker rambling towards the road. She looks to them and says, "We need to take care of the real threat."

The others from Woodbury agree and take aim as the walkers appear. Rick and his group join in and the walkers are dispensed of easily and quickly.

"The noise will only bring more. We should leave before that happens," Rick explains to Zoe.

She nods in agreement, watches as he retrieves Michonne's sword, and walks with him to join his group. Before she can say anything, T-Dog approaches her.

"You did the right thing. Thank you."

Zoe nods and looks to the rest of them. "I don't know what happens after this but if I have any say we can live in peace. I promise."

"You don't have to go back there you know. Come with us," T-Dog offers.

"If I get through this, I will but I'm not a coward. I'm going to tell them what I've done and hopefully we can all decide on how we live instead of being told what to do. Thank you for having the courage to fight back. You gave me the courage I needed. I feel relieved now," Zoe states.

"Thank you…..for everything," Michonne exudes.

Tyreese chimes in. "Hey. Could you look in on Donna? Tell her I'll be back but I really need to go to the prison and see my sister."

Zoe agrees. "I'll tell her."

T-Dog extends his hand and Zoe accepts softly. She then walks back to her group, looking them all directly in the eyes, refusing to cower. They make quick work of getting the problem vehicle started, load up the Governor's body, and travel in the opposite direction to Woodbury.

Rick, Michonne, and the others pile into their vehicle and as soon as they are safely making their way to the prison, Glenn blurts out, "Michonne are you pregnant?"

XXXXXXXXXX

They return to the prison, greeted by smiling faces with obvious expressions of relief. Handshakes and hugs are shared followed by a bevy of questions. Sasha is questioning Tyreese, Beth is bombarding her dad, and Maggie is interrogating Michonne.

Rick holds a hand up. "Maggie, I know you're concerned and you mean well but I really need to get her to bed."

Maggie's eyes grow wide with panic. "Why? What happened out there? Tell me."

"I'm fine Maggie. I promise," Michonne assures.

"Yeah she's just pregnant," Glenn announces.

That reveal is met with complete silence, elevating the sound of the walkers growling and rattling the main fence. Herschel is the first to recover as he joins Rick on Michonne's other side to deflect the comments that are sure to come next.

"I would suggest you save your questions for when she and Rick are up to answering them. Jacqui and I are more than capable of handling this so no one should be worried. We're going to get her something to eat and let her rest."

Michonne rolls her eyes heavenward about to relay that she is not an invalid but Rick pulls her toward him and leads her inside. Voices fill the courtyard as soon as their backs are turned but she ignores them and looks forward to the comfort of their bed.

Herschel is sure to check over Michonne to the best of his ability and assures himself and them that all is well. He instructs her to eat until she is full and to sleep for as long as she wants. He smiles when the two of them show just as much concern for his well-being. He lets them know that he is fine and no harm came to him while at Woodbury. He then leaves her in the capable hands of the man she loves and makes his way to the courtyard. He pauses at the door and frowns as he hears Shane's words.

"I don't wannna rain on anyone's parade but a baby is not a good idea right now," Shane voices.

"It's not like they planned it or anything. I guess it just happened," Beth assures.

Sasha nods. "Beth's right. Things like that happened before the world went bad so what's the difference now?"

"The difference is….if we have to go back out on that road again, we're fucked," Shane states.

"Who says we're going back on the road again?" T-Dog asks.

Shane rubs his head in frustration. "This place ain't no guarantee. What if we lose it?"

"We're going to make sure we don't," T-Dog counters. "We've been making plans to secure things here so we just keep moving forward with those plans. Simple."

"How we gonna keep the baby from crying and drawing walkers?" Shane wonders.

"We can handle it Shane," Jacqui inputs.

"We'll get the baby a pacifier, whatever he or she will need. We can do this," Daryl says.

"I hope you're right," Glenn adds.

"I don't know. I'm kind of excited for them. I didn't think I'd ever see a baby again," Noah responds.

Herschel chooses that moment to join them. "We should all be mindful of the things that could happen but I don't want us to look at this as a hindrance. In my opinion, children have always been a blessing. This happened for a reason. Maybe to teach us that life has to continue despite what we're faced with right now. Rick and Michonne are a strong couple and they want this baby. They're going to do everything within their power to bring him or her into this world and we should help them. We owe them that much."

Maggie and Beth look at their father with pride as the former agrees. "Daddy's right. We should all help each other. I mean, we don't know who could be next. Things happen."

"Now just wait one damn minute. Nobody else needs to be getting it in their head that it's ok to have a baby," Shane urges.

"How can you make that decision for any of us? It's about choices, something we still have a right to," Sasha returns. "Are you going to police who's having sex and who isn't?"

Daryl touches a hand to her arm as he can detect that she is getting heated.

Shane drops his head with a snort and just because he knows he has hit a nerve, he pushes forward. "If that what it takes….."

They all start speaking at once but Jacqui holds her hands up to calm them. "He's only joking. I assure you." She cuts her eyes at him with a warning. "Listen, Herschel and I knew about this early on and we're making all the necessary provisions to handle Michonne's care. Everything's going to be fine."

"Jacqui's right. Why don't we hear what Tyreese has to say about his time out there with Donna?" He looks to the tall, bearded man with a smile. "It's good to have you back."

Sasha looks around as everyone starts to agree. The talk about pregnancies and babies has her thinking of her own current situation. She has an IUD that should've been removed before the world went haywire. She kept putting it off, thinking she had time to get it done and now she's not sure how she will get it removed and what damage it could cause if she doesn't.

Daryl bumps her shoulder with his to get her attention. "What are you thinking so hard about?"

She grabs his hand. "We need to talk."

XXXXXXXXXX

Michonne pushes Rick's bowl aside with a heavy exhale. "I promise. I can't eat any more. Would you please finish your food? I shouldn't have to remind you that you have to stay healthy too."

He retrieves the bowl and dives in, his thoughts ping ponging from left to right. "Are you really ok?"

"I am. I just….I can't stop thinking about that little girl. She was his daughter and he obviously couldn't put her down but…..wasn't it cruel to leave her that way?"

He nods as he chews. "It was but I guess he just couldn't let go. I'm not gonna feel sorry for that sick bastard. Not after what he wanted to do to you."

"I'm not feeling sorry for him but I can't help feeling sorry for her. She's a child Rick. What if we…..could we….."

He puts his bowl aside and pulls her to him. "No. Stop thinking about it. That would never happen to us. Never."

She looks into his deep blue eyes, knowing that he would give his life for her and their baby. "I know. You wouldn't let that happen. I wouldn't." She draws strength from him, basking in the reality of the love they share despite all the adversity they've faced.

He feels the need to distract her so he asks, "What do you think everybody's saying right now?"

She laughs. "That we're crazy for doing this."

"Is that what you think?"

"It has crossed my mind but I've never been happier than I am right now. That's because of you and our baby," she admits.

He kisses her cheek softly. "Me too." He sighs heavily. "I can't tell you how scared I was when I realized you'd been taken. I don't know what I'd do if anythang happened to you."

She hugs him tightly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't….."

"Babe it wasn't your fault. We underestimated that guy….plain and simple. I won't be making that mistake ever again."

"Me either."

"Come on. Let's get you to bed," he says as he sets their bowls aside and turns the bed down.

"Can we take a shower first?"

"Anythang you want."

The prison is quiet and drafty as they make their way to the bathrooms. Meanwhile, Sasha is having a talk with Daryl, Glenn and Maggie are in the watch tower, preparing to stay all night, Beth and Noah fawn over Herschel, ensuring that he gets something to eat and gets to bed early, Shane and Jacqui retire to her cell where she continues to convince him that the addition of a baby would not hinder the group, and Tyreese and T-Dog share a meal while discussing what happened earlier with Woodbury.

They are all relieved to be safe for yet another night, hoping for the same sense of security on tomorrow.


End file.
